Denny Hamlin assures Ty Gibbs' parents: "I told Coy and Joe that I'd take care of him"

Ty Gibbs will kick off his Rookie season at Daytona, driving the No. 54 Toyota alongside teammate Denny Hamlin. The JGR driver endured a tough 2022 season, losing his father at the end of last season.

Denny Hamlin will have a close watch on Gibbs, teaming up with him this season. Gibbs was thrust into the Cup Series arena in Pocono last year, replacing Kurt Busch, who suffered a concussion. Busch later decided not to race in the series due to a slow recovery.

Hamlin made an appearance on Fox’s NASCAR Race Hub last week, where he said on the show:

“I believe that we will make sure that we take care of Ty, take care of Christopher as they’re starting to learn things.”

“I got to work with Ty. He was in my bus every week when he drove for me, just asking questions. I told Coy and Joe that I’d take care of him, make sure he’s prepared to get in the Cup Series next year.”

Gibbs raced for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series, a team owned and operated by his grandfather. Ty Gibbs won the Xfinity Series last year recording 7 race wins over the season. His promotion to the Cup Series was with the 23XI team, co-owned by Denny Hamlin.

Gibbs' inexperience did hurt him, as he managed only one top-10 finish throughout the season. For the 2023 season, Gibbs will be back at JGR alongside Hamlin.

Joe Gibbs Racing finds itself in a tough situation as Kyle Busch left the team, and Martin Truex Jr. could leave the team at the end of the season. Hamlin, 42, will be thinking about retiring soon. This leaves Christopher Bell as the leader when all the veterans retire.

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Denny Hamlin outlines Gibbs' expectations for 2023

Ty Gibbs’s 15-race stint last season was not remarkable, but the 23XI Racing Team and Hamlin do deserve credit for getting the 20-year-old driver some experience under his belt. His apprenticeship last season has prepared him for his Rookie season this year.

Hamlin said:

“I think that my expectation for him is probably to contend for a playoff spot. I think it will be tough if he doesn’t win to get in. It’s just so hard, he’s so young. We have to really be patient with some of these young guys.

“Some of the best ones, Chase Elliott and these guys, didn’t hit their stride till 3-4 years in and 25 years old. He’s 20, right? So, let’s just all be patient and not try to compare them to who he’s stepping in for.”

Hamlin expects Gibbs to be competitive on Road Courses but also adds that Gibbs needs to improve on the superspeedways. Gibbs could learn a lot from Martin Truex Jr. about racing on short tracks.

As Gibbs prepares for his Rookie season, he will have a valuable mentor in Denny Hamlin racing alongside him.