Martinsville Mayhem: When Joe Gibbs’ Grandson Embarrassed Himself for $100,000 in Front of the Whole World
Martinsville Speedway has a way of revealing a driver’s true character. Under the bright lights and the weight of championship stakes, drivers lose patience and make decisions in an instant. No one knows that better than Brandon Jones, who found himself at the center of controversy in the 2022 Xfinity Series playoffs. He was one lap away from securing a Championship 4 spot when his then-teammate, Ty Gibbs, decided otherwise.
Jones had taken the lead in overtime, fending off his competitors in a race that had already seen multiple restarts. But as he entered Turn 1 for the final time, Joe Gibbs’ grandson slammed into his rear bumper, sending him hard into the outside wall. The impact crushed Jones’ hopes of a title shot and sent the crowd into a frenzy of boos. Jones, stunned and frustrated, didn’t hold back in his post-race remarks. “I know Ty enough to where I know he doesn’t care about what he did,” he said.
As Gibbs celebrated his win with zero remorse, the grandstands erupted in anger. He had secured his spot in the Championship 4 but at the cost of any goodwill he had left in the garage. However, it wasn’t the first time Gibbs had been at the center of controversy at Martinsville. Earlier that season, he had already embarrassed himself in another high-profile incident—one that cost him $100,000 and his dignity.
Ty Gibbs’s emotions ruined his image!
The April 2022 Xfinity Series race at Martinsville was shaping up to be another dominant night for Ty Gibbs. He had led 197 of the 261 laps and looked poised to take the victory. But late-race chaos changed everything. In the second overtime, Gibbs lost control of the bottom lane, opening the door for teammate Brandon Jones to take the lead. That left Gibbs and Sam Mayer fighting for second—and more importantly, for the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash prize.
However, Mayer pushed a little hard to earn the extra prize money. He used the bumper on Gibb’s No. 54 car in the final corner, trying to muscle past him. But things went sideways. Landon Cassill joined the battle, and Gibbs was the one who had to taste the bitter end of the stick. Well, he got his share of payback when he tracked down Mayer on the next corner and gave a food bump not once but twice.
Well, in the end, neither Gibbs nor Mayer got what they wanted; Mayer finished fifth. Gibbs limped home in the eighth. Neither got the money. But what followed was pure mayhem. After the race, Gibbs tailgated Mayer down pit road, then stormed over to confront him. Mayer took of his helmet and was challenging the JGR driver to do the same. It started with the war of words, and soon, the punches started to fly.
While talking, Gibbs pushed Mayer and got the same in return. That’s when Gibbs lost control. He threw multiple punches, connecting with Mayer’s face before crew members and NASCAR officials broke up the brawl. The scene was a disaster for Gibbs. Fans in the stands rained boos down on him. NASCAR was furious. A NASCAR official got hurt in the melee and was left on a stretcher. NASCAR’s top brass dragged Gibbs and Mayer to the hauler for a stern talking-to.
