Ty Gibbs earns first NASCAR Cup victory at Bristol, beating Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Outdueling two NASCAR CupSeries champions for the first victory of his career, Ty Gibbs made an emphatic and emotional breakthrough Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The win came in the 131st Cup start for the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner and former Super Bowl-winning coach Joe Gibbs.

Ty Gibbs also is the son of the late Coy Gibbs, who also helped run his father’s team before unexpectedly dying in his sleep on Nov. 6, 2022 – the day after his son won the championship in NASCAR’s second-highest division.

Ty Gibbs, 23, moved to the Cup series the next year and had multiple near-misses (runner-up finishes at Darlington in 2024 and Chicago last year) before reaching victory lane in his fourth season.

“This is one of my best experiences” Joe Gibbs said. “When I think about Coy, he brought Ty up the entire time. I know he’s probably watching.”

Ty Gibbs interrupted his grandfather’s postrace interview in the pits with a hug.

“This is the man right here,” said Ty, whose mother, Heather, also is a co-owner of JGR. “I’ve never seen somebody work so hard in my life, him and my mom. I come to the shop at 6 a.m. or 7 p.m., and there’s nobody there, but they are always there. They work their (butts) off. He’s a great role model. I wouldn’t be here unless it was for him.”

Gibbs led the final 25 laps at Bristol, inheriting first place under caution on a strategy gamble by staying on track in his No. 54 Toyota while Ryan Blaney pitted from the lead along with Kyle Larson, who led a race-high 284 of 505 laps.

Blaney and Larson both restarted outside the top five, and Gibbs was cruising toward a win before the yellow flew again on the 498th lap to set up the first overtime restart at Bristol in 11 years.

Despite Blaney and Larson having tires that were nearly 100 laps fresher, Gibbs fended off the star drivers on a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know or care if I was going to win or not,” Gibbs said. “I thought the race was awesome. I really appreciate always racing Ryan Blaney and Kyle, too. Those guys always run me really well.”

Blaney, the 2023 Cup champion who started from the pole position, finished second after leading 190 laps in the No. 12 Ford.

“Yeah, great battle for sure,” he said. “ I fought a lot of different cars. Gave it my best shot on the last restart. Was close but just couldn’t get it done.”

Larson, the defending Cup Series champion who won the first two stages, finished third and remained winless in the past 32 races with his No. 5 Chevrolet.

The Toyotas of Tyler Reddick and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top five.

“Super happy for Ty,” Briscoe said of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. “It’s been a long time coming. To do it the way he did it, on old tires, to beat the two guys that dominated all day long, that was impressive. Just super happy for him and the whole family.”

Gibbs became the sixth NASCAR driver to earn his first Cup victory at Bristol, joining Dale Earnhardt (1979), Rusty Wallace (1986), Ernie Irvan (1990), Elliott Sadler (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).

“It’s awesome to be with great people,” the younger Gibbs said. “To be in this position is great. I’d love for my father to have seen this. I know he knew it was going to happen and expected it as well. Yeah, it was a great day for us. This is our family, so it’s just such a great deal.”

While Larson excelled at the front, two of his Hendrick Motorsports teammates were struggling mightily.

William Byron started from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 24 Chevrolet, which had steering problems in practice and qualifying Saturday. Byron, who has led at every active track but Bristol, was off the pace from the start and finished five laps down.

Returning frommissing four races because of vertigo, Alex Bowman started 27th and finished last after being involved in a multicar crash started by Shane van Gisbergen.

“I was fine, just a frustrating day,” Bowman said. “Thought we were OK in practice and then obviously qualified bad and then just really struggled with the handling today. Bummer. Hate that we didn’t get a chance to work on it and make it better and finish the race, but it’s kind of outside our control. When you run that bad, stuff can happen, and it happened to us.”

The NASCAR Cup Series will race April 19 at Kansas Speedway, the first of three consecutive tracks 1.5 miles and longer. Hendrick Motorsports has won three of the past four races at Kansas with Kyle Larsonand Chase Elliott winning last year at the oval in Kansas City, Kansas.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Ty Gibbs drives down the backstretch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Ty Gibbs, front right, celebrates with the trophy after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race as he and Steve Smith, president and CEO of Food City hoist the trophy, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Ty Gibbs celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Kyle Larson (5) leads Ross Chastain during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Ryan Blaney (12) leads Ross Chastain and the rest of the field during the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

MIAMI (AP) — Hobbling on one leg, Carlos Ulberg refused to let an injured knee ruin the opportunity he earned at UFC 327 on Saturday night.

With President Donald Trump sitting cageside, Ulberg delivered a perfect left hook to Jiri Prochazka’s chin and won the undisputed light heavyweight belt with a knockout at the 3:45 mark of the first round.

“I blew out my knee, but I never counted myself out,” Ulberg said. “I knew all I needed was that one shot and I ended up getting it. So I knew that Jiri was hesitant to come forward. And as soon as I landed my left hand he’s going.

"It’s about getting those moments.”

Ulberg (15-1-0) appeared to tweak something early in the first round when he planted his foot and his right knee buckled awkwardly. Prochazka (32-6-1) immediately went to work on Ulberg’s left leg, repeatedly landing leg kicks with hopes of taking both legs away, rather than attacking aggressively to end it.

“I felt sorry (for) him, and this is one of the biggest lessons in my life,” Prochazka said. “That fight was won, I had it, it was in my hands. I saw his injury, and ... I will be back. Life is about that, learn and be better.”

The matchup was made after former champion Alex Pereira vacated the belt to move up and challenge for the interim heavyweight crown at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14, on what will be Trump’s 80th birthday.

Earlier, on his way to the arena, Trump’s Truth Social account posted an advertisement for the event.

Trump entered the Kaseya Center shortly after 9 p.m., accompanied by UFC president Dana White and several members of the Trump family.

As a Kid Rock song blasted from the speakers, Trump walked to his seat, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio was waiting. Also nearby was Sergio Gor, the U.S. ambassador to India.

Trump, who shared several smiles with the cameras, shook hands with attendees on the floor and made a point of greeting the UFC broadcast team, including podcaster Joe Rogan.

A crowd of onlookers could be seen filming the presidential motorcade upon arrival.

In the co-main event, Paulo Costa (16-4-0) used a right roundhouse to the head to drop Azamat Murzakanov (16-1-0) and end the bout at the 1:23 mark of the third round.

Costa stepped onto the apron of the Octagon after his victory to shake Trump’s hand, and the president praised him. Costa acknowledged Trump during his post-fight interview with Rogan.

After taking to his social media site to cheer Masters winner Rory McIIroy on Sunday night, Trump used a subsequent post to congratulated Costa.

He wrote that Costa had won a “a Great UFC Fight last night in Miami. He will absolutely be a future Champion.”

Cameras appeared to capture the president telling him, “You’re a beautiful guy.”

In his post, Trump added, “It was great talking to him outside the ring after his Big Victory last night.”

Josh Hokit (9-0-0) and Curtis Blaydes (19-6-0) battered each other in the slugfest of the night, with Trump excitedly watching the heavyweights as fans chanted “This is awesome!” as the fighters bloodied each other’s faces. Hokit won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

White took to social media after Hokit’s win to reveal that a matchup between Hokit and Derrick Lewis had been added to UFC Freedom 250. According to White’s video, Trump asked why Lewis wasn’t on the White House card. White said he called Lewis and offered him a fight, and when Rogan jokingly asked during the broadcast if there was room for Hokit on the card, the match came together.

“President Trump built half of that fight, Rogan built the other half,” White said in the video. “Both guys have agreed and accepted the fight.”

In a light heavyweight clash, Dominick Reyes (16-5-0) defeated Johnny Walker (22-10-0) with a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

Featherweight Cub Swanson (32-14-0) ended a celebrated career with a devastating first-round TKO of Nate Landwehr (18-9-0). The 42-year-old Swanson overmatched Landwehr with a bevy of punches to the head before referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight with 54 seconds left in the opening round.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Azamat Murzakanov won the co-main event.

AP MMA: https://apnews.com/hub/mixed-martial-arts

Carlos Ulberg, of New Zealand, reacts after defeating Jiri Prochazka, of Czechia, by TKO to win their light heavyweight title bout at a UFC 327 mixed martial arts event, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Carlos Ulberg, left, of New Zealand, fights with Jiri Prochazka, of Czechia, in their light heavyweight title bout at a UFC 327 mixed martial arts event, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

President Donald Trump and Hunter Campbell watch a fight during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Curtis Blaydes, left, of the United States, absorbs a punch from Josh Hokit, of the United States, in a heavyweight bout at a UFC 327 mixed martial arts event, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

President Donald Trump and Hunter Campbell watch as Paulo Costa, left, and Azamat Murzakanov fight during UFC 327 at Kaseya Center, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

FILE - A UFC logo stands outside the arena, April 24, 2021, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)

President Donald Trump stands with Kai Trump at the UFC 327 at Kaseya Center, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

President Donald Trump attends the UFC 327 at Kaseya Center, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

President Donald Trump attends the UFC 327 at Kaseya Center, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)