Getty Joe Gibbs (right) talks to Denny Hamlin (left) before a NASCAR race.
When the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season comes to an end, Harrison Burton will move from the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra to the Cup Series. Now the race organization is reportedly set to reveal his replacement. JGR teased an upcoming driver announcement for Friday, Aug. 6.
The team’s Twitter account stoked the rumor mills on Thursday, Aug. 5, with a photo showing the silhouette of a driver. His face remained hidden while a series of uniquely-placed lights served as the background. The only detail available was a tuft of hair on the left side of his head.
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When JGR tweeted out the photo, the fans responded with two primary names. Many proclaimed that Ty Gibbs, the grandson of Joe Gibbs, would be the next driver to join the Xfinity Series team. Others said that Truck Series driver John Hunter Nemechek would make the leap from Kyle Busch Motorsports and the No. 4 Toyota Tundra to join JGR.
One Driver Potentially Provided the Answer on Instagram
The organization did not reveal the identity of the next driver on the roster, but another person may have tipped their hand. Gibbs actually posted two photos on his Instagram profile on Wednesday, Aug. 4, that showed him in a very similar setting.
The photos on social media showed the 18-year-old wearing a white firesuit and leaning on a stack of Goodyear tires. He held his helmet in his right hand but kept any logos hidden from the camera. He also had his firesuit undone from the waist up, preventing eagle-eyed fans from noticing any sponsor or series logos.
Apart from the tires and firesuit, the main factor that led many to believe Gibbs will join the Xfinity Series is the lighting. The light bars that served as the background of the photo hung in the same positions as those in the JGR tweet, essentially serving as confirmation that Gibbs will be the next official member of the team.
Gibbs Has Contended for Wins During a Part-Time Schedule
GettyTy Gibbs celebrates a win.
While the young driver runs full-time in the ARCA Menards Series, he also makes limited starts in the Xfinity Series. Gibbs has competed in nine races while driving the No. 54 Toyota Supra, contending for wins in the large majority. Though his race at Road America came to an end after 34 laps due to a transmission issue.
Gibbs kicked off his Xfinity Series career with a win at the Daytona International Speedway road course. He then posted top-five finishes at Phoenix Raceway (second) and Martinsville Speedway (fourth). An 18th-place finish at Darlington served as a relative low point for Gibbs, but he quickly bounced back with fifth at Dover International Speedway and a win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Gibbs has continued to showcase his skills behind the wheel of top-level equipment, regardless of track type. He has succeeded at both road courses and oval tracks alike. Now he will strive to continue this trend with a trip to Watkins Glen International. Gibbs will be back in the No. 54 JGR Toyota Supra, lining up 15th at the start of the race.
The Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 Xfinity Series race will take place on Saturday, Aug. 7, at 4 p.m. ET. CNBC will broadcast the race while MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio provide audio coverage.
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