NASCAR's Coy Gibbs Dies Suddenly Just Hours After Watching Son Ty Win the Xfinity Series Championship

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Coy Gibbs, who previously raced for NASCAR and coached for the NFL, has died. He was 49.

The father of fellow NASCAR driver Ty Gibbs died Saturday in his sleep, his company Joe Gibbs Racing announced, just hours after his 20-year-old son won the 2022 Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway that evening.

"It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night. The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time," read a statement on Twitter from the company, which was founded in 1992 by Coy's father and fellow NASCAR alum Joe Gibbs.

Shortly before Ty won Saturday's championship, in which he led a race-high 125 laps, Coy said in his final press conference that he's "definitely proud" of his son. The conference came a week after Ty came under fire for causing his teammate Brandon Jones to spin out, bumping him from the finale, according to the Associated Press.

"I've always got his back as a father," he said in the clip shared by retired driver Kenny Wallace. "Obviously, it's heartbreaking to go through tough stuff. It's actually more heartbreaking to watch him go through it. I don't give a rip. I'm old and don't care. ... To see your kid hurting — and he knows he screwed up — and to go through all that is tough. It's tough as a parent, for sure.

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"Watching it today, just to see his determination and I think he's got skills and he's determined, it definitely made me proud. My wife and I, we were both proud because he just hammered down and did his job and if he wants to do this for a living, he's got to learn how to do that," Coy added.

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Ty was replaced at Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Championship by Daniel Hemric "due to a family emergency," 23XI Racing announced on Twitter. A moment of silence was held before the race, in which Joey Logano took home the 1st place trophy.

NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Coy Gibbs. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Joe, Pat, Heather, the Gibbs family and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on the loss of Coy, a true friend and racer."

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David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development USA, shared: "Racing is a family and the relationships within the entire garage go so much deeper than on-track competition.

"Today, we lost a dear part of our family. The loss of Coy Gibbs is devastating to everyone at Toyota and TRD," Wilson added. "Our deepest condolences and prayers are with Joe, Pat, Heather, Ty, Case, Jett and Elle and the entire Gibbs family and Joe Gibbs Racing family."

Born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Coy played college football as a linebacker for Stanford, before racing with NASCAR from 2000 to 2003, when he was named runner-up for Rookie of the Year.

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He later worked under his father Joe as an assistant coach for the Washington Redskins (now the Commanders) from 2004 to 2007. At the time of his death, he served as vice chairman and COO of his father's Joe Gibbs Racing.

Coy is survived by his wife Heather and their four children.