Ty Gibbs says a "win is more important than third" after strong Michigan finish

Despite reaching 100 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series recently, Ty Gibbs remains winless at the top level of the sport. And sitting 27th in points, a top-five finish won’t do much for his playoff hopes. So, despite earning a third-place finish at Michigan, he could only think about the win that slipped through his fingers.

“Wish we could have got one,” said Gibbs. “That was not the option with the fuel spot from where we were in. Just very unfortunate.”

To make matters worse, Gibbs had to watch as his teammate Denny Hamlin passed him and went on to capture the checkered flag while the driver of the No. 54 was still saving.

“It’s just unfortunate, because I feel like we had the capability to go do it,” continued Gibbs. “I feel like we showed we were fast enough to go do it. It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s just part of it sometimes.”

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet; Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Gibbs managed to make the fuel last, but now he’s left to wonder just how much he had left in the tank. Up front, William Byron was the only driver who didn’t make it to the checkered flag.

“I think a win is more important than third,” concluded Gibbs. “It’s good to have a good finish, for sure. Good to have a good day, a good comeback. We started off just very horrible. Glad we could come back and got better. Thanks to my team for sticking behind me.”

The No. 54 team has just three top tens this year while teammates Hamlin and Christopher Bell have three wins each. And while Gibbs is left frustrated over the missed opportunity, it’s certainly a step in the right direction as NASCAR heads south to Mexico City next weekend.