WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK - AUGUST 20: William Byron, driver of the #17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Cub Cadet Toyota, lead the field on a pace lap prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sunoco Go Rewards 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 20, 2022 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Ty Gibbs spins William Byron at Watkins Glen; Retaliation (Video)
Shane Walters
Hear from drivers after the wild NASCAR finish at Watkins Glen International
On Saturday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series took the stage in Watkins Glen, New York. The ending was drama filled as the favorites took each other out of contention.
Watch the Watkins Glen crash video below.
William Byron and Ty Gibbs were the class of the field all day. Yes, Larson drove through the entire field to get to the front but once he got there, he couldn’t do anything with Gibbs or Byron.
With 14 to go, Gibbs was leading as Byron took 2nd away from Larson. Byron was closing in on him slightly. It was going to be a racing to the end.
Yet, with 8 to go, Ross Chastain got stuck in a sand trap. That setup a restart with just 5 laps remaining.
As they dropped the green, Byron and Gibbs ran side by side into turn one. They remain side by side into turn two and up the hill. Larson gave a bump draft to Byron in an effort to aid his teammates efforts.
They went side by side into the bus stop. Aggressive under braking, for both drivers. Gibbs jumped the curb and ran into the door of William Byron. The contact was enough to send both cars spinning.
The two drivers spun back around and rejoined the race at the tail of the field. Yet, Byron wasn’t done as he turned Gibbs in retalliation by the time they got to turn six.
No caution was thrown for the crash. Kyle Larson took over the lead and held off a charge from AJ Allmendinger and Sammy Smith to grab his first Xfinity win on a road course.
“I got lucky,” Kyle Larson said after climbing from his car.
“I think my only shot really was if the No. 54 and 17 got to racing. Just wanted to help William down the front stretch, as much as I could. Then, they got battling up the esses, I tried to help him get clear into the bus stop.”
Larson added, “They raced side by side into there and got together. The seas parted and I was able to get through.”
Ty Gibbs spins William Byron Video
William Byron and Ty Gibbs talk after Watkins Glen crash