Ty Gibbs saw a promising run at Texas Motor Speedway come undone during Stage 2 of the Würth 400, after a heavy on-track incident ended his race early. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was forced out following contact with Ryan Preece that sent him into the wall, drawing a strong reaction from Shane van Gisbergen.
Gibbs started 10th and quickly moved forward, showing strong pace in the No. 54 Toyota. He ran near the front for much of Stage 1 and into Stage 2, even battling for the lead at one point. He traded positions with Carson Hocevar and Chase Briscoe in a tight fight up front, with one of the faster cars at Texas in clean air.
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Gibbs’ race began to unravel around the pit cycle on Lap 94. A messy sequence on pit road saw him stop in his box as traffic stacked up, which contributed to contact behind involving Joey Logano and Cole Custer. While Gibbs continued, the decisive moment came on Lap 102.
As the field battled through Turn 3, Ryan Preece made contact with Gibbs, sending the No. 54 hard into the wall and bringing out a caution. Gibbs suffered heavy damage, effectively ending his race. Shane van Gisbergen, who had a clear view of the incident unfolding ahead, reacted immediately on team radio:
“Holy sh*t! He just committed a murder!” (Laughs) “It looks like he just full-throttled him!”
Ty Gibbs returned to pit road for repairs, but the damage was too significant. He was forced to retire, joining Joey Logano and teammate Christopher Bell among the early exits. Meanwhile, Ryan Preece continued in the race and even ran near the front heading into the final stage, though he later dropped outside the top 25.
Ty Gibbs responds after incident with Ryan Preece at Texas
The incident also triggered a heated reaction from Ryan Preece over the radio, reflecting the tension between the two drivers. Earlier in the week, Preece discussed uncertainty regarding his future, with charter uncertainties surrounding his RFK Racing No. 60 team adding pressure to his performances.
After the contact with Ty Gibbs, Preece vented:
“Alright, when I get to that 54, I’m done with him. F**king idiot. That car is so f**king fast, pisses me off. I can’t stand when idiots like him have fast race cars where they can do stupid shit and get away with it.”
Ty Gibbs later responded on X after climbing out of his car, posting:
“Hmm, atleast he is honest 🙄🍻”
The exchange adds to Ty Gibbs’ 2026 season narrative. The young driver has faced criticism in the past, often tied to his family background within Joe Gibbs Racing. However, he answered many of those doubts earlier this year with his first Cup Series win and has remained a competitive presence.
At Texas Motor Speedway, Gibbs again showed race-winning speed. But the result did not reflect it.
Edited by Pranay Bhagi
