Coy Gibbs, co-owner of NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing, dies at age 49

(CNN) — Joe Gibbs Racing co-owner Coy Gibbs, son of team patriarch Joe Gibbs and father of NASCAR driver Ty Gibbs, has died at age 49, the team announced.

“It is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the gentleman in his sleep last night. The family appreciates all thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time,” the team said via Twitter Sunday afternoon.

Joe Gibbs lost his other son, J.D. Gibbs, in 2019. He also died at 49 after a long battle with a degenerative neurological disease, according to NASCAR.

The cause of Coy Gibb’s death has not been reported, but he passed away just hours after his 20-year-old son, Ty Gibbs, won the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship race.

Coy Gibbs spoke to the media about his son’s race on Saturday after a controversial week.

“Watching him today, yeah, just to see his determination,” he said as quoted by NASCAR.

“I think he’s got skills and he’s determined. It definitely made me proud. I think my wife was proud, too, because he stepped up and did his job. If he wants to do this for a living, he’s going to learn how to do it,” he added.

Coy Gibbs joined his father’s team after finishing his college soccer career at Stanford University, according to NASCAR. Coy and J.D. Gibbs worked in the Joe Gibbs Racing front office, and Coy Gibbs also raced for the team, according to NASCAR.

News of Coy Gibbs’ death stunned the NASCAR world on the day of the final race of the season. A moment of silence was observed before the start of the race.

Ty Gibbs, who was to drive the No. 23 car in a NASCAR race at Arizona, was replaced by driver Daniel Hemric just hours before the race, with his 23XI Racing team citing “a family emergency” as the cause.

Denny Hamlin, one of Joe Gibbs Racing’s most successful drivers, tweeted, “Today we will do what we don’t want to do, but we will come together as a family and race for the name on our chest.”

NASCAR President 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 for the loss of Coy, a true friend and racer.”