Ty Gibbs / No. 81 Monster Energy Toyota Supra Preview Henry 180 at Road America

LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 27: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, sits in his car on the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pocono Green 225 Recycled by J.P. Mascaro & Sons at Pocono Raceway on June 27, 2021 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

No. 81 Monster Energy Toyota Supra News and Notes

· NINTH TIME OUT: Sunday’s Henry 180 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin will be Ty Gibbs’ ninth career NASCAR Xfinity Series start. He scored a win in his series debut in February at the road course at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has scored seven top-five finishes and has led 90 laps in just eight starts.

· WHAT A DEBUT: In Gibbs’ Xfinity Series debut at the Daytona Road Course, he led 14 of the 56 laps en route to his first career Xfinity Series win. Gibbs became the youngest driver to win a Xfinity road course race at 18 years, 4 months, 16 days. The Charlotte, N.C., native also became the second-youngest winner in Xfinity Series history after Joey Logano who won in June 2008 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta when he was 18 years and 21 days old.

· IN GOOD COMPANY: Gibbs is the sixth driver to win in his Xfinity Series debut, joining Dale Earnhardt, Joe Ruttman, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte and Kurt Busch.

· A TITLE IN MIND: While Gibbs is set to compete in 14 Xfinity races in 2021, he is competing fulltime in the ARCA Menards Series where is he second in points, but has scored wins at Phoenix International Raceway, Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Toledo (Ohio) Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Mid-Ohio.

· GIBBS 2021 SCHEDULE: In 2021, Gibbs will compete for an ARCA Championship and in 14 Xfinity races, who also attempting to win the Xfinity Sunoco Rookie of the Year award. His remaining Xfinity schedule includes: Road America (July 3), Watkins Glen International (August 7), Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (August 14), Michigan International Speedway (August 21), Richmond Raceway (September 11), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (October 9) and Kansas Speedway in Kansas City (October 23).

· GIBBS IN 2020: Gibbs captured an ARCA Menards Series-high six wins in 2020, despite only running a partial schedule. He also scored 12 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in his 16 starts last season to help claim the organization’s first ARCA Menards Series Owner’s Championship.

· ATOP THE PIT BOX: Veteran crew chief Chris Gayle will oversee the No. 81 team’s efforts this weekend. Gale, who is from Little Rock, Arkansas, has led his drivers to two NASCAR Cup Series victories and 25 Xfinity Series wins. The list of drivers Gayle has visited victory lane with includes Gibbs, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Sam Hornish Jr., Erik Jones and Elliott Sadler.

· JGR AT ROAD AMERICA: Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) has 31 total starts at Road America in Xfinity competition with one win, five top-five finishes, 13 top-10 finishes and one pole-starting positions. The team has led 135 laps.

· RACE INFO: The Henry 180 is scheduled for 2:30 EDT on Saturday, July 3 and will be broadcast on NBC, SiriusXM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

Ty Gibbs, Driver of the No. 81 Monster Energy Toyota Supra

“I haven’t been to Road America in an Xfinity car before and I’m looking forward to having a little bit of practice and qualifying this weekend. Chris Gayle and the guys have given me great Toyota Supras and hopefully we will be quick again this weekend. It’s just about learning and developing each week and hopefully we can put the Monster Energy Supra up front.”

Chris Gayle, Crew Chief of the No. 81 Monster Energy Toyota Supra

“It’s been a few years since I’ve been a crew chief at Road America, but it is a place I’ve always liked since my first visit. It’s also going to be nice to get some additional practice and help Ty prepare for his first Xfinity series start at Road America. We’ll have qualifying this weekend as well, so the first step will be getting a clean lap down in qualifying and make sure we get into the race without any drama. Ty has been fast in all the NXS events this year, so I expect nothing but the same this weekend. It should be a fun and competitive weekend overall this weekend with our Monster Energy Toyota Supra.”

Gibbs 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats