Ty Gibbs eliminated from Cup championship contention in 2026

Ty Gibbs endured a difficult afternoon in Sunday's YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, finishing 17th after being involved in the first major accident. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver qualified eighth and entered the race hoping to strengthen his position in the NASCAR Cup Series championship Chase.

Gibbs began the afternoon with favorable track position but was unable to secure stage points during the opening segment. His race became more complicated on Lap 132 when a 12-car accident erupted in the outside drafting lane.

Gibbs was among the competitors collected, sustaining damage that affected his ability to remain competitive. Unlike several other Chase contenders, he was able to continue racing, but the damage and lost track position prevented him from mounting a serious challenge for the victory.

Gibbs ultimately completed 188 laps, finishing 17th and one lap behind winner Kyle Larson. The result earned him 20 points and moved him to ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase standings, tied with Austin Cindric at 2,258 points.

However, Gibbs trails Larson by 183 points with only two races remaining, mathematically eliminating him from championship contention. Gibbs will now focus on improving his final standing at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami while attempting to finish his season with stronger results.