At the time his father, Joe Gibbs, was the assistant coach at the University of Southern California.
In the mid-1990s, J. D. started racing in the NASCAR Camping World East Series, as well as late-model events in North Carolina.
[1] He was a major contributor and former member of Young Life, a non-denominational Christian organization for adolescents.
Over the ensuing years, his public appearances and involvement in the team became less frequent as the symptoms slowly began to show.
[3] A memorial service was held at Davidson College's John M. Belk Arena on January 25, 2019, where he was eulogized by his wife Melissa, his father, his brother Coy, and his best friends Dave Alpern and Moose Valliere.