NASCAR insider reacts to Ty Gibbs, No. 6 team pit road controversy, weighs potential blame

On Lap 52 of Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway, Ty Gibbs passed through Brad Keselowski‘s pit box and clipped a tire being held by the No. 6 team’s tire carrier. Telvin McClurkin, who was over the pit wall preparing for Keselowski’s arrival, finished the pit stop before confronting the No. 54 team’s pit crew, where a minor altercation ensued.

NASCAR determined that Gibbs didn’t do anything wrong on his entry. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic said on “The Teardown” podcast that he spoke with Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing competition director Chris Gabehart and RFK Racing competition director Josh Sell after the race. Gibbs was adamant he didn’t do anything wrong; Gabehart agreed.

“I talked to Ty Gibbs after the race and talked to Chris Gabehart, who kind of oversees JGR, and I talked to the competition director for RFK [Sell]. Ty Gibbs was very clear in that he did not do anything intentional. It was incidental contact — he’s allowed to drive through the box,” Bianchi said. “The tire carrier on the 6 came out too far and he just clipped him. He is adamant that it was an accident. Chris Gabehart went back and looked at it as well, and was like, ‘Ty didn’t do anything wrong.’ NASCAR said the same thing that Ty didn’t do anything wrong. They cleared him of this.

“It’s a tough incident. If you swing too far and you’re a crew guy, it’s a hairy spot to be in. I don’t know how to make of it. At the end of the day, I defer to the experts on this — NASCAR, the competition people. They all say that this is a non-issue. [No. 6 team crew chief] Jeremy Bullins did make comments to NASCAR that he had no issues with this as well. So, this seems to be much ado about nothing, it’s incidental contact, it seems like, and everyone moves on.”

A closer look at the Ty Gibbs pit road moment that sparked the fight between the No. 6 and No. 54 crews at Sonoma 🧐https://t.co/QzczATlh30pic.twitter.com/1RQrp6yiox

— 5 GOATs (@5GOATs_) July 13, 2025

NASCAR considers incident between Ty Gibbs, No. 6 team closed

While NASCAR is no longer reviewing Gibbs’ entry, they will review the altercation on pit road. The incident involving McClurkin is closed and NASCAR said that the No. 6 team should have given Gibbs more room to enter his pit stall.

“The rule is the rule, and the 54 [car] in that instance has the right of way, and the pit crew members just have to be aware enough to know that and not run into traffic unless you have to,” Gabehart said. “[McClurkin] has the right to be standing out there, but the 54 has got to get in his box first. And it’s one of those tough rules. I don’t really fault anybody on it. It just takes a lot of give-and-take in that situation. And unfortunately, they got into him.”

Gibbs finished seventh at Sonoma. Keselowski, meanwhile, finished P11.