Millionaire Joe Gibbs makes vital addition to break grandson’s win draught

Modified Apr 03, 2025 02:45 GMT

NASCAR: Cup Qualifying - Source: Imagn — Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs (left) with team owner and grandfather Joe Gibbs during qualifying for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway - Source: Imagn

Joe Gibbs, who is worth $70 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), has made a crucial addition to Joe Gibbs Racing to improve Ty Gibbs' performance in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team has hired championship-winning car chief Robert “Cheddar” Smith to work on Gibbs' No. 54 Toyota Camry, starting from this weekend’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.

The news was first reported in a tweet by Toby Christie. In the tweet he wrote,

“#NASCAR News: @JoeGibbsRacing has added championship-winning car chief Robert "Cheddar" Smith as the car chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team heading into this weekend's race at Darlington. Smith had been with the No. 7 Spire team”

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Chris Gabehart, JGR’s competition director, also confirmed the hiring via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. In his own words,

"You know, it’s a great opportunity to get someone with that level of experience, know-how, tenure, and demeanor," Gabehart said. "I think it’s going to add a ton of depth to the team and help [Crew Chief] Tyler [Allen] and the other mechanics and engineers to sort of find their way."

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Smith, 41, was the car chief for Kevin Harvick’s championship-winning No. 4 team at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. After Stewart-Haas shut down at the end of the 2024 season, Smith moved to Spire Motorsports with his longtime crew chief Rodney Childers before being recruited by JGR.

JGR hopes Smith’s addition will help turn around Ty Gibbs' rough start to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 22-year-old driver is currently 31st in the standings, a drastic drop from last season when he was fourth at this stage. He has yet to secure a top-10 finish this year, with his best result so far being 13th place at Martinsville Speedway last weekend.

Joe Gibbs comments on Ty Gibbs’ Struggles: “We’ve Gone Through a Tough Time”

Joe Gibbs, the founder and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, recently addressed his grandson Ty Gibbs' disappointing season. While other JGR drivers have been performing well—Denny Hamlin secured a win at Martinsville, Christopher Bell finished second, and Chase Briscoe had a top-10 finish—Ty Gibbs has struggled to keep up. His P13 finish at Martinsville was his best result in 12 races.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass, Joe Gibbs acknowledged the team's difficulties. He shared,

"There’s no secret here. We’ve gone through a tough time to start the year. Everything that’s happened to us, not much has gone our way."

Gibbs focused on the importance of the people surrounding Ty during difficult times. He added,

"When that happens, I know what I’m studying through all of that. That is who surrounds us, who is there with us, who is working their rear-end off at the race shop to try and get us back. Those are the people that I just really, really appreciate."

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Despite high expectations following last season's playoff appearance, Ty Gibbs has been unable to build on that success. In 2023, he earned eight top-five finishes and 12 top-10s. However, this year has been a different story, with zero top-five or top-10 finishes so far. Over seven races, Gibbs has failed to lead a single lap and has an average finish of 23.85. With two DNFs already, his season has been far from ideal.

About the author

Dipti Sood is a Motorsport journalist at Sportskeeda with over three years of experience. A Political Science graduate and aspiring law professional, her love for motorsports ignited when she began following the careers of her favorite F1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz.

Dipti has previously worked with Sportskeeda in the US Olympics static department, which sparked her interest in sports writing. Her professional journey also includes work with a sports startup, where she honed her copywriting skills. These experiences, combined with her meticulous approach to research and fact-checking, enable her to deliver accurate, ethical, and engaging content.

To stay updated with the latest in motorsports, Dipti follows credible sources such as ESPN, Autosport, and RacingNews365, along with respected journalists like Chris Medland. She also keeps an eye on official social media handles to uncover fresh perspectives.

Outside of writing, Dipti enjoys reading, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts. A constructors fan with a soft spot for certain drivers, she dreams of witnessing the return of the Buddh International Circuit to the F1 calendar, bringing the excitement of Formula 1 back to India.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma