Mickey Gibbs

Mickey Gibbs (born March 15, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Alabama. Gibbs has won races in the ALL PRO Super Series, NASCAR All-American Challenge Series, American Speed Association, and ARCA ranks, along with the 1983 Snowball Derby before reaching the pinnacle of stock car racing, then known as the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He is not related to highly successful NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs.

Climbing the Ladder After making a lone start in the first race of the newly revamped Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series, Gibbs was a regular in the ALL PRO Super Series in the early years of the series. He won a race for the first time in 1983 at the Birmingham International Raceway. He placed eighth in the championship. He also held off former Winston Cup race winner and fellow All PRO regular Jody Ridley in order to win that December's Snowball Derby, a race that also featured Bobby Allison, Rusty Wallace, and Gary Balough among other contemporary and future stars.

In 1985, Gibbs moved to the All-American Challenge Series. He would win five races and place fourth by points, behind Stanley Smith, Ronnie Sanders, and champion Dave Mader III. He would earn another win in 1986, despite not running all the races. Gibbs had a strong 1987 ALL PRO Series campaign. He won six races, including two more at Birmingham International Raceway (one of which also counted towards the ASA championship), but was not as consistent as champion Jody Ridley or second place Steve Grissom. Gibbs placed third in the season.

In 1988, Gibbs found success in the ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series. Holding off veteran racers Red Farmer and Charlie Glotzbach, Gibbs won the ARCA 200 at Daytona. He made five Winston Cup starts that year before winning the ARCA season finale at Atlanta, with a dominant performance that saw him defeat the new Busch Grand National champion Tommy Ellis and the new ARCA champ Tracy Leslie.

Winston Cup Career After winning the ARCA 200 at Daytona, Gibbs failed to qualify for the Daytona 500. His first Winston Cup start came at Rockingham, driving for his father Don Gibbs. He started 25th, but was relegated to 35th because of an engine failure just before halfway in the Goodwrench 500. He would miss the field again at Atlanta, but led briefly under caution at Talladega. His only finish among his five starts was at Michigan, where he finished 31st.

Gibbs began the 1989 season driving for Winkle Motorsports. After missing the Daytona 500 again, he took the green flag in Buddy Arrington's car. Though he finished twentieth at Rockingham for Winkle, he sat at 31st place in points after Atlanta and was dismissed from the team. Following his release from Winkle, he raced for both Dingman Brothers Racing and his father's team. The father-son duo's 1990 season began by missing Daytona, but that was followed by finishes of 19th at Richmond and 15th at Rockingham. In an abbreviated season, Gibbs attempted twelve races and started nine.

In 1991, Gibbs signed with Team III Racing, owned by Sam McMahon III, for the full season, with championship-winning crew chief Barry Dodson. His 17th place finish at Daytona yielded the biggest payday of his career (nearly $25,000). Gibbs also finished nineteenth at Talladega, and a career-best 14th at Sears Point and Michigan. Though he sat at 25th in points after the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, he was dismissed from Team III Racing. He was replaced by Dick Trickle and others to complete the season. Gibbs would not return to the Winston Cup Series.

Final Races and Summary Gibbs last racing exploits came during his return to ARCA, driving for Bobby Jones in 1992. He led 121 of 156 laps in a victory at Texas World Speedway. His last start came at Atlanta, but ended in a crash more than halfway through the race.

Gibbs competed in 36 Winston Cup races between 1988 and 1991, and one Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race. His success in the lower ranks included six wins in the All-American Challenge Series, seven ALL PRO Series wins (one of which doubled as an ASA win), three ARCA wins (including the 1988 Daytona 200), and the 1983 Snowball Derby.

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Pts Ref 1988 Gibbs Racing 01 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 50th 283 1989 Winkle Motorsports 48 Pontiac DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC 41st 508 Arrington Racing 67 Pontiac DAY Dingman Brothers Racing 50 Pontiac TAL GLN CLT NWS CAR PHO Gibbs Racing 01 Ford MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR ATL 1990 DAYDNQ RCH19 CAR15 ATL39 DAR38 BRI NWS MAR TAL19 CLTDNQ DOV SON POC MCHDNQ DAY32 POC TAL22 GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH34 DOV MAR NWS CLT21 CAR PHO ATL 37th 755 1991 Team III Racing 24 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 34th 1401

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1988 Gibbs Racing Ford DNQ 1989 Winkle Motorsports Pontiac DNQ Arrington Racing Pontiac 42 34 1990 Gibbs Racing Ford DNQ 1991 Team III Racing Pontiac 38 17