Coy Gibbs, Racing Executive And Son Of Joe Gibbs, Dead At 49
On the same day the NASCAR Cup Series prepares to crown a champion, they'll be doing so with a heavy heart after news break that Joe Gibbs Racing executive Coy Gibbs had died. He was 49.
Gibbs was the son of legendary football coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs. Additionally, he is the father of driver Ty Gibbs, who less than one day before his death was announced won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
“It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night,” JGR said in a statement. “The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time.”
No additional details regarding the circumstances of Gibbs' death have been released.
Coy Gibbs was one of Joe Gibbs' two sons. His other son, J.D., died in 2019 after battling a neurological disease. J.D. Gibbs was also 49 when he died as well.
The day before his death, Coy Gibbs was at Phoenix Raceway to watch Ty clinch his championship.
“I’ve always got his back as his father,” Coy said on Saturday at Phoenix. "Watching it today, just to see his determination … it definitely made me proud. It made my wife — we were both proud, just because he hammered down and did his job. If he wants to do this for a living, he’s going to learn how to do that.”
Coy Gibbs played college football at Stanford and was an NFL offensive coordinator under his father from 2004-2007. In the early 2000s, he appeared in 97 races between the Xfinity Series and the Truck Series.
He took over as JGR's COO in 2015 when his brother's worsening condition made him unable to continue in the role. Before that, Coy had led JGRMX, a motorcycle racing team.
The Gibbs family celebrates Ty Gibbs' Xfinity Series championship. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
The NASCAR World Offered Their Condolences
Ty Gibbs has also been driving in the Cup Series for 23XI Racing, deputizing for injured and retiring driver Kurt Busch. After the news of his father's death broke, it was announced that Ty Gibbs had dropped out of the season finale.
Driver Daniel Hemrich took his place behind the wheel of the No. 23 Toyota Camry.
People from around the NASCAR world offered their condolences to the Gibbs family as well as all of Joe Gibbs Racing.
Joe Gibbs Racing has one driver in the Championship 4 for the race at Phoenix, driver of the No. 20, Christopher Bell.
If he manages to win the team a championship it will surely be a bittersweet day for the folks at Joe Gibbs Racing.