Concord, North Carolina – Ty Gibbs gives his grandfather something to think about.

Championship car owner Joe Gibbs’ 18-year-old grandson took the lead with 20 laps to go at Charlotte Motor Speedway and held off the field for his second Xfinity Series victory of his rookie season on Saturday .

If the young Gibbs continues like this, Joe Gibbs may not be able to stop the busy young driver from competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“You turn me on now,” Ty Gibbs said. “I think about a lot of things all the time, dealing with things. I’m definitely thinking about it.

That could be tight pressure as Joe Gibbs Racing currently has four teams, all with championship training in previous series championships Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell.

“They belong over there,” Gibbs said. “I’m still trying to understand.”

Gibbs obviously understood something. About five hours after celebrating his victory at Xfinity, the teenager led the 100 laps to win the ARCA Menards Series race. It was his fourth win in five series this season.

“I must have burned two (cars) in one day,” Gibbs said Saturday night.

Gibbs won the Daytona road race in February with a late stint through a grassy area. In this Xfinity victory, Gibbs overcame a spin at the end of the second stage and kept his patience until the end when he came out on top of a side-by-side duel with NASCAR Cup Series racer Chase Briscoe, who lost control and surrendered. lead to Gibbs.

Gibbs had one last challenge on the last restart, but pulled away from the field when the green flag flew like so many JGR pilots of the past to claim the victory.

A proud Joe Gibbs beamed from the stands, a big smile on his face.

“It’s really nice to win on an oval, especially in the next town,” said Ty Gibbs, who was also competing in the ARCA Series race in Charlotte in the evening.

Ty Gibbs apologized to Briscoe if he had a role in the spinout, though reruns appeared to show their cars were not touching.

Briscoe made his first Xfinity start of the season and led 60 laps. “We just made the wrong adjustments at the end. We were too tight. I felt like he was going to have me anyway, “said Briscoe.” It is really frustrating. “

Reigning Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric was second, followed by Harrison Burton, Brandon Brown and Tyler Reddick. Briscoe was sixth.

Cindric, the son of Penske Team President Tim Cindric, flies from Charlotte to Indianapolis to watch the Indy 500 with his family.

It was the latest racing disappointment for Daniel Hemric, who led the most laps – 105 of 200 – and once again left winless in eight years competing in NASCAR’s first three series.

Hemric dominated much of the first half of the race, sweeping the first and second stages. But Briscoe passed him for the lead with 85 laps to go. Hemric’s difficulties worsened when he received a warning when he had to back up to get out of his pit, and then was assessed a penalty for an uncontrolled tire.

Hemric fell from second to 27th. He returned to the top 10 before a crash on a restart 14 laps from the finish ended his chances. Hemric took part in 187 Cup Series, Xfinity and Camping World Trucks starts without a win.

The race had a sense of the old pre-pandemic days, with practice Friday and qualifying Saturday morning before the event. Riley Herbst won single-lap qualifying to take pole with Briscoe right next to him on the front row.

The most serious crash occurred during a restart on lap 150 when Ryan Sieg, who had just taken the lead in the pits, lost grip and slipped near the apron for a stretch before driving back up the track where his car was fiercely criticized by Josh Berry and Brett Moffitt.

All the drivers got out of their cars unharmed, with Berry and Sieg getting clearance from the field care center.

Hendrick plans to win all-time Cup Series record in Charlotte

Concord, North Carolina – Those who have worked with Hendrick Motorsports in recent years know everything about the record.

It is impossible not to do this.

The owner of the car, Rick Hendrick, made it clear from his employees how much he wanted to outdo Petty Enterprises for the most Cup Series wins in NASCAR history. That long-term goal can become a reality on Sunday when Hendrick launches into the No.269 Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“We’ve had 268 circled for so long, I don’t even know what 269 will look like yet,” said Chad Knaus, vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports. “We’re really excited to be here, close to being able to get it. The 600 would be a great time for us to have it here in the backyard of Hendrick Motorsports.

Hendrick’s quest for history got off to a strong start on Saturday when Kyle Larson won pole, while teammates Chase Elliott and William Byron qualified third and fourth respectively. Hendrick’s other driver, Alex Bowman, will start seventh.

All four Hendrick drivers have already won this year, including Elliott’s rain-cut victory last week at the Circuit of the Americas.

“This is an important thing for Mr. Hendrick and he has made it very evident over the past two years,” said Elliott. “When your boss cares so much about something, we all care just as much and we want to get it done for him.”

Hendrick said last week, “The respect and admiration I have for Richard and Kyle (Petty), this whole family, it’s a big deal for me to just be mentioned with him.”

Knaus said he looks forward to celebrating with his boss – whenever the next victory comes.

“I’m a huge fan of Rick Hendrick,” Knaus said. “He’s been a measure for me since I was 21 and has really helped me throughout my career. I’m just happy to be a part of it. I can’t wait to give him a big hug after receiving him and we can go and hopefully get more.

To reach the winner’s circle, Hendrick will have to beat Martin Truex Jr., who has won the Coca-Cola 600 three times.

“This place here, we’ve found things that work for us and we’ve been able to ride this horse for five, six years now,” Truex said. “It’s getting harder and harder, the track is getting harder and harder and the teams are all getting closer when it comes to the set-up and what everyone knows about these cars these days. Things really came together in a smaller box. It’ll be hard.