PHOENIX — Coy Gibbs, a team leader for Joe Gibbs Racing and father of NASCAR driver Ty Gibbs, died unexpectedly Saturday night at the age of 49. His death came less than a day after his son won the Xfinity series championship.
“It is with great sadness that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to the Lord in his sleep last night,” Joe Gibbs Racing said in a statement. “The family appreciates all thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time.”
Today we will do what we don’t want to do. We will unite as a family and race for the name on our chest. @JoeGibbsRacing
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 6, 2022
Words cannot describe this day. Today should be tough enough, but now it’s even more heartbreaking. Broken heart.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) November 6, 2022
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Coy Gibbs,” NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. “On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to Joe, Pat, Heather, the Gibbs family and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on the loss of a true friend and racer, Coy.”
One of the two children of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, Coy was a former NFL driver and assistant coach. Joe Gibbs’ other son, JD, also died at the age of 49 after a battle with a neurological condition in 2019.
Coy was on hand at Phoenix Raceway to witness Ty – one of his four children – win the Xfinity title on Saturday night and then spoke about his son who just had a controversial week at the track.
“I’ve always had his back as a father,” Coy said. “…Looking at it today just to see his determination…it definitely made me proud. My wife did it – we were both proud just because he struck out and did his job. If that’s what he wants to do for a living, he’ll learn how to do it.”
Coy is survived by his wife Heather, sons Ty, Case and Jett, and daughter Elle.
Ty Gibbs was scheduled to drive 23XI Racing’s #23 Toyota in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series championship race. But as news broke in the NASCAR garage Sunday morning, crew members took out Gibbs’ seat and put in bets for Xfinity Series driver Daniel Hemric, who was still in the Phoenix area after Saturday’s race was.
23XI Racing later announced Ty would not be driving on Sunday and Hemric would be taking his place.
After brother JD began suffering from brain function issues in 2015, Coy was promoted to the COO role at JGR. He had previously managed the JGRMX motorcycle racing team for years. Prior to that, he served as an offensive quality control assistant with the Washington Commanders (2004-07) and played linebacker at Stanford.
He also raced in the early 2000s, making 97 starts in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and Truck Series. But Coy struggled to produce results in the 2003 Xfinity season, which led him to the NFL when father Joe returned to Washington as a coach in 2004 after an 11-year absence.
Joe Gibbs, who turns 82 later this month, is also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame for his role as a team owner. When news of Coy’s death broke on Sunday morning, Joe was preparing to watch driver Christopher Bell race for the team’s sixth Cup Series championship.
It’s already been a turbulent year for JGR as both longtime sponsor M&M’s and driver Kyle Busch left the team after Sunday’s race. Then Ty became a lightning rod at Martinsville Speedway last week when the 20-year-old knocked out teammate Brandon Jones to win a race.
Joe Gibbs is now faced with the unfathomable loss of a second son as well as the most logical family member who will take the reins of the team when he is ready to retire.
(Photo by Coy Gibbs left: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)