Taylor James Gray (born March 25, 2005) is an American professionalstock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in theNASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 54Toyota GR Supra forJoe Gibbs Racing. He previously competed in theNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,ARCA Menards Series,ARCA Menards Series East, andARCA Menards Series West.
Gray made his debut in alate model in March 2018 at the age of twelve, driving for Lee Faulk Racing and Development atHickory Motor Speedway in the Paramount Auto Group Limited Late Model Series. He had an impressive showing, finishing sixth in the race.[1] Two months later, he returned to Hickory in the same series and won his first late model race after running in either first or second place for the entire race.[2]
Both Gray andhis brother Tanner were signed byDGR-Crosley in 2019, with Tanner driving full-time in theK&N Pro Series East and Taylor driving full-time in theCARS Late Model Stock Tour since he was under the age of fifteen and therefore not eligible to compete in a NASCAR series at that time.
In his season racing in CARS, Gray picked up a win at Hickory Motor Speedway in just his second start,[3] which meant he now had two wins at the track. Gray ended the year ninth in points, competing in all but two races which he skipped mid-season. Additionally, he entered theValleyStar Credit Union 300NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race atMartinsville, where he flipped and his car came to a halt upside down, but he was uninjured in the crash.[4] Just a few weeks later, he was already back in action, again at Hickory, where he ran the Whelen All-American Series' Fall Brawl event. Gray would have an outstanding performance, leading all 200 laps in the race en route to the win,[5] and this put him with a total of three wins there at only the age of fourteen.
On December 18, 2019, it was announced that Gray would drive all races in theARCA Menards Series East (formerly the K&N Pro Series East) in 2020 with DGR in their No. 17Ford (the team switched manufacturers fromToyota) once turning fifteen on March 25 of that year. In addition, he will run the nine races of the ten-raceARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown that he will be able to compete in after he becomes eligible to race in the series.[6] His older brother subbed for him at the season-opener atNew Smyrna, andBubba Pollard was announced to fill in at the following race atFive Flags. However, the Five Flags race along with all others through May was postponed due to thecoronavirus outbreak, which means Gray would be fifteen when the rescheduled race is run and eligible to compete in it after all. DGR has yet to announce who will drive the No. 17 car at that one race as a result of this, but since Gray is running full-time for the championship, they presumably would move Pollard to a second car for the team, which has been announced to be fielded in select races sometime in the season for Tanner Gray.[7]
Gray also returned to the CARS Series part-time in 2020, winning their season-opener atSouthern National Motorsports Park.[8]
On January 15, 2021, Gray was penalized for recording a video on his cell phone while on the track for an official ARCA test session at Daytona, a violation of the series rulebook's Section 20C – 6.7 (restriction of onboard devices, including cell phones). occurred during an official ARCA Menards Series test session at Daytona International Speedway. Gray was placed on probation for the rest of the season and fined $1,000.[9]
Gray returned for another full-time season in the East Series in the No. 17 for the renamed David Gilliland Racing. He finished third in the season-opening race atNew Smyrna Speedway in a photo finish with race winner Max Gutiérrez and second-place finisherSammy Smith.[10]
After being involved in a single-car accident inStatesville, North Carolina, on April 8, he was officially cleared to return on July 6, allowing him to run the weekend's ARCA race atElko Speedway.[11]
After ARCA West RookieJake Drew was penalized in the Portland 112 along with Eric Nascimento, Gray won his second ARCA West race. He later won at the Star Nursery 150.
On March 8, 2022, a hauler carrying Gray's car on its way toPhoenix Raceway collided with aHonda Passport nearLongview, Texas, killing hauler driver Steven C. Stotts. Two passengers in the hauler and the driver of the SUV survived the accident.[12][13] Three days later on March 11, Gray won theGeneral Tire 150 after starting second and leading 43 laps, dedicating the win to Stotts.[14][15][16] He also won the ARCA East race at Dover with the newFord Mustang body. He also scored wins atMid-Ohio andPocono throughout the season, along with another ARCA West win at theLas Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring.[17][18][19]
Gray returned to the ARCA Series in 2023, driving the No. 18 car forJoe Gibbs Racing atTalladega, and the newly renamed Tricon Garage No. 17 car atKansas andCharlotte.
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In 2021, Gray was originally scheduled to make hisNASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut atRichmond Raceway in April for David Gilliland Racing, but on April 8, he suffered a fractured L4 vertebra, left foot, and ankle in a single-car accident inStatesville, North Carolina, forcing him to miss his debut.[20] He later made his Truck debut atWatkins Glen International, finishing in 35th.[21] He ran five races that season and earned the best finish of eighth at Martinsville.
Gray increased his schedule to eight races in 2022.[22] At theLucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in July, Gray was in contention of earning his first career win, leading the race until he got spun byJohn Hunter Nemechek with two laps to go.[23] He had a best finish of sixth at Richmond late in the year.
On October 27, 2022, David Gilliland Racing announced that they will be moving toToyota Racing Development in 2023, and renaming toTricon Garage (with Tricon styled in all-capital letters). Gray would remain with the team for a full season, and compete for Rookie of the Year.[24] He missed the first three races of the season due to age restrictions but received a playoff waiver to stay eligible for the playoffs. He earned four top-tens throughout the regular season, including a third-place run at Pocono, but failed to make the playoffs. During the playoffs, he scored two consecutive top-five finishes at Kansas and Bristol, finishing second and fifth, respectively.[25] He ended the season fifteenth in points.
On November 10, 2023, it was announced that Gray would return to Tricon Garage in 2024, running his first full season.[26]
During the 2024 Truck Series opening race atDaytona, Gray was involved in a flip. On the last lap of the race, Gray was in position for the win off of turn 2 when the truck beside Gray inJack Wood got turned byRajah Caruth which turned Wood into Gray and Gray spun. Gray's truck hit the outside wall before he got t-boned in the driver side door byDaniel Dye at an angle which lifted Gray's truck off the ground and did a barrel roll on top of two trucks with both beingChristian Eckes and his brotherTanner before the truck landed on the hood of another truck inBayley Currey and on all four wheels on the pavement. Gray was able to walk out under his own power uninjured and also expressed his displeasure at Caruth in his interview.[27] Due to his consistency throughout the regular season, Gray would make the Playoffs for the first time. AtThe Martinsville Playoff race, Gray was leading with 5 laps to go and had a shot at winning and making it into the Championship 4. However, entering turn 3,Christian Eckes would make contact with Gray which sent the latter up the track, costing him the win. Eckes would go on to win after dominating. Gray went on to finish fourth and would come up just short of making the Final 4. After the race, Gray would confront Eckes and would get into a heated argument with him.
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On December 13, 2023,Joe Gibbs Racing announced their driver lineup for the2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Gray would run ten races in the Xfinity Series in 2024 for JGR, driving the No. 19 car, sharing the ride withRyan Truex,Aric Almirola,Ty Gibbs,Joe Graf Jr.,William Sawalich, and other drivers to be announced.[28] Gray made his debut atRichmond Raceway, starting 27th and finishing an impressive third.[29] The next two weeks he would finish thirteenth atMartinsville and eleventh atTexas, respectively.
On October 16, 2024, it was announced that Gray will run full-time for the2025 season, driving the No. 54Toyota for JGR.[30] At theMartinsville Spring race, Gray was leading the race after an overtime restart with one lap to go and had a shot to win. However, in the third turn, the car behind Gray inSammy Smith went deep into the corner and got into the back of Gray hard enough that spun Gray around. Not only it costed Gray the win, but also cost Smith the win as well asAustin Hill snuck by both Smith andJustin Allgaier in the final corner to take home the win. Smith finished tenth while Gray finished 29th. After the race, Gray confronted Smith outside the infield care center where the two had an intense altercation where both had to be held back by security and NASCAR officials.[31] Gray was eliminated from the playoffs following the Round of 12, but he later scored his first career win atMartinsville.[32]
He is the younger brother ofTanner Gray, who drives for Tricon Garage in their No. 15Toyota Tundra in theNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He is also the son of Shane Gray, anNHRA driver, and grandson ofJohnny Gray, aFunny Car driver and businessman.[1] In addition to racing, Johnny Gray was the president of Marbob Energy.[33] Since 2021, Johnny Gray has co-owned Tricon Garage.[34] One of Taylor's hobbies is wakeboarding.[35]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCAR Xfinity 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 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | NXSC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2024 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 19 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | PHO | COA | RCH 3 | MAR 13 | TEX 11 | TAL 15 | DOV 34 | DAR 18 | CLT 12 | PIR | SON | IOW | NHA | NSH | CSC | POC 5 | IND | MCH 8 | DAY | DAR | ATL 28 | GLN | BRI | KAN 38 | TAL 32 | ROV | LVS 33 | HOM | MAR | PHO | 83rd | 01 | [36] | ||
| 2025 | 54 | DAY 5 | ATL 38 | COA 7 | PHO 6 | LVS 19 | HOM 23 | MAR 29 | DAR 33 | BRI 19 | CAR 5 | TAL 11 | TEX 2 | CLT 30 | NSH 25 | MXC 2 | POC 9 | ATL 5 | CSC 34 | SON 7 | DOV 7 | IND 3 | IOW 17 | GLN 18 | DAY 30 | PIR 14 | GTW 17 | BRI 14 | KAN 6 | ROV 13 | LVS 8 | TAL 31 | MAR 1* | PHO 7 | 7th | 2228 | [37] | ||||
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck 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 | NCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 2021 | David Gilliland Racing | 17 | Ford | DAY | DRC | LVS | ATL | BRD | RCH | KAN | DAR | COA | CLT | TEX | NSH | POC | KNX | GLN 35 | GTW 12 | DAR | BRI 29 | LVS | TAL | MAR 8 | PHO 29 | 40th | 76 | [38] | |
| 2022 | DAY | LVS | ATL | COA 26 | MAR 26 | BRD | DAR | KAN | TEX | CLT | GTW 36 | SON | KNX | NSH | MOH 15 | POC | IRP 22 | RCH 6 | KAN | BRI 16 | TAL | HOM | PHO 17 | 34th | 147 | [39] | |||
| 2023 | Tricon Garage | Toyota | DAY | LVS | ATL | COA 11 | TEX 24 | BRD 34 | MAR 8 | KAN 9 | DAR 21 | NWS 21 | CLT 10 | GTW 13 | NSH 14 | MOH 15 | POC 3 | RCH 14 | IRP 20 | MLW 13 | KAN 2 | BRI 5 | TAL 18 | HOM 13 | PHO 23 | 15th | 490 | [40] | |
| 2024 | DAY 19 | ATL 4 | LVS 4 | BRI 7 | COA 2 | MAR 6 | TEX 7 | KAN 27 | DAR 8 | NWS 13 | CLT 12 | GTW 30 | NSH 34 | POC 4 | IRP 16 | RCH 3 | MLW 5 | BRI 12 | KAN 18 | TAL 2 | HOM 10 | MAR 4 | PHO 6 | 6th | 2247 | [41] | |||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| ARCA Menards 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 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | DGR-Crosley | 17 | Ford | DAY | PHO | TAL | POC | IRP 4 | KEN | IOW 5 | KAN | TOL 3 | TOL 11 | MCH | DRC 4 | GTW 8 | L44 3 | TOL 5 | BRI 7 | WIN 5 | MEM 9 | ISF 4 | KAN | 11th | 460 | [42] |
| 2021 | David Gilliland Racing | DAY | PHO 9 | TAL | KAN | TOL | CLT | MOH | POC | ELK 5 | BLN 4 | IOW 3 | WIN 5 | GLN 7 | MCH | MLW 4 | BRI 3 | SLM 11 | KAN | 8th | 428 | [43] | ||||
| 46 | ISF 3 | DSF 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 17 | DAY | PHO 1 | TAL | KAN | CLT | IOW 18 | BLN 4 | ELK 4 | MOH 1 | POC 1* | IRP 3 | MCH | GLN 8 | ISF 8 | MLW 2 | DSF 12 | KAN | BRI 3 | SLM 5 | TOL 4 | 10th | 606 | [44] | ||
| 2023 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | DAY | PHO | TAL 7 | 36th | 120 | [45] | |||||||||||||||||
| Tricon Garage | 17 | Toyota | KAN 3 | CLT 3 | BLN | ELK | MOH | IOW | POC | MCH | IRP | GLN | ISF | MLW | DSF | KAN | BRI | SLM | TOL | |||||||
| ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | DGR-Crosley | 17 | Ford | NSM | TOL 8 | DOV 9 | TOL 5 | BRI 7 | FIF 4 | 8th | 237 | [46] | ||
| 2021 | David Gilliland Racing | NSM 3 | FIF 3 | NSV | DOV | SNM | IOW 3 | MLW 4 | BRI 3 | 8th | 258 | [47] | ||
| 2022 | NSM 2 | FIF 3 | DOV 1* | NSV 3 | IOW 18 | MLW 2 | BRI 3 | 2nd | 385 | [48] | ||||
| ARCA Menards Series West results | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref |
| 2020 | DGR-Crosley | 17 | Ford | LVS | MMP 4 | MMP 11 | IRW | EVG | DCS | CNS | LVS | AAS 7* | KCR 1* | PHO 3 | 13th | 161 | [49] |
| 2021 | David Gilliland Racing | PHO 9 | SON | IRW | CNS | IRW | PIR 1 | 12th | 245 | [50] | |||||||
| 17E | LVS 1* | AAS 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 71 | PHO 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 17 | PHO 1 | IRW | KCR | PIR | SON | IRW | EVG | PIR | AAS | 19th | 164 | [51] | ||||
| 71 | LVS 1* | PHO 27 | |||||||||||||||
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
| CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour results | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | CLMSCTC | Pts | Ref | ||||
| 2019 | DGR-Crosley | 17 | Toyota | SNM 13 | HCY 1* | ROU 2* | ACE 19 | MMS 12 | LGY 19 | DOM | CCS | HCY 18 | ROU 6 | SBO 7 | 9th | 206 | [52] | ||||||
| 2020 | Ford | SNM 1* | ACE 16 | HCY | HCY | DOM | FCS | LGY | CCS | FLO | GRE | 27th | 52 | [53] | |||||||||
| 2021 | David Gilliland Racing | 54 | DIL | HCY | OCS | ACE | CRW | LGY | DOM | HCY | MMS | TCM | FLC | WKS | SBO 19 | 55th | 14 | [54] | |||||
Headquarters:Huntersville,North Carolina | |||||||
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