Ty Gibbs’s crew chief says practice runs proved viability of bold two-tire calls

Ty Gibbs secured his second win of the season at Iowa Speedway, positioning himself second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with only three races remaining before the Chase begins. A crucial factor in Gibbs' victory was his team's bold pit strategy, consisting of three two-tire stops throughout the race. Following a sluggish pit stop early in the race, Gibbs needed to regain track position, and the team opted for two-tire stops, which ultimately proved successful.

However, crew chief Tyler Allen felt confident making the aggressive call after observing the car's performance during practice sessions. He noted that the car maintained minimal wear, even after a caution flag was thrown during practice after 30 or 40 laps on tires, without any adjustments. Allen explained that they had the opportunity to go longer on rights-rights in stage two, but they needed track position, and the car's speed was sufficient.

He acknowledged feeling pressure while making the big call, but having the experience and trust of his team eased his decision-making process. Gibbs now finds himself in a strong position heading into the Chase, trailing only Denny Hamlin (four wins) and Tyler Reddick (five wins) in the standings. However, Gibbs has demonstrated consistently high finishes, securing 10 top-five performances on the season, surpassing Hamlin's count of 9.