"All it took was his grandson getting to Cup" - NASCAR influencer praises Joe Gibbs for letting drivers branch out outside NASCAR

Renowned NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp recently touched upon how Joe Gibbs Racing allowed its drivers to compete in other racing series outside of NASCAR. The popular influencer, in his recent YouTube video, took a subtle dig at the JGR owner by making a reference of his grandson, Ty Gibbs.

For the unversed, Ty Gibbs is the grandson of the JGR co-owner Joe Gibbs. Interestingly, the #54 Joe Gibbs Racing driver is also the co-owner of the team. He races for Joe Gibbs Racing under full-time obligation.

Notably, Ty Gibbs will run in the upcoming Chili Bowl Nationals, set to take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from January 13 to January 18. Along with him, his JGR teammates Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe will also be taking part.

This has come after Joe Gibbs Racing recently allowed its drivers to race in other racing series apart from NASCAR. Estepp, pointing at this, mentioned how the regulation has changed once Joe Gibbs' grandson had come into the scenario.

"After two years away, Christopher Bell is back to play in Tulsa clay," Estepp said in his video. "Bell is a three times Chili Bowl Nationals winner. He's from nearby Norman, Oklahoma. This is a very special event to him. I can't wait to watch. Gonna be exciting." (1:48-2:08)

"Thank you, coach Gibbs, for finally allowing your drivers to go stretch their legs a little. All it took was his grandson getting to the Cup Series," he added. (2:16-2:25)

Earlier, Joe Gibbs Racing put a restriction on its drivers, which prevented them from taking part in other kinds of racing, including dirt. The NASCAR team took the decision, keeping in mind the safety of the drivers.

However, in November this year, Gibbs lifted the restriction, and as a result, Ty Gibbs, Chase Briscoe, and Christopher Bell were able to sign up for the Super Bowl of Midget Racing in January 2025.

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Why did Joe Gibbs lift restrictions?

As per reports, Joe Gibbs lifted the restrictions, keeping in mind the addition of Chase Briscoe, a renowned name in dirt racing. He arrived at a team where Christopher Bell, a three-time Chili Bowl Nationals winner, was already racing. Keeping their interest in mind, Joe Gibbs lifted the restrictions.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs (54) during practice for the NASCAR Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Here's what Gibbs said about it:

"We sort of talked things over to come up with a process by which they can request to run certain races,” Joe Gibbs told The Athletic. “If they get approval from everyone they need on our competition side, then they are free to run the race. That includes dirt, but also potentially other forms of racing.”

Besides Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell, and Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and J. J. Yeley will also be a part of the midget racing in the dirt in 2025.