Tanner Gray | |||||||
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Born | Tanner Sean Gray April 15, 1999 Artesia, New Mexico, U.S. | ||||||
Achievements | 2018 NHRA Pro Stock champion | ||||||
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
117 races run over 6 years | |||||||
Truck no., team | No. 15 (Tricon Garage) | ||||||
2024 position | 13th | ||||||
Best finish | 13th (2024) | ||||||
First race | 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 (Martinsville) | ||||||
Last race | 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race (Phoenix) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
21 races run over 4 years | |||||||
Best finish | 19th (2019, 2020) | ||||||
First race | 2019 Pensacola 200 (Pensacola) | ||||||
Last race | 2024 Reese's 150 (Kansas) | ||||||
First win | 2024 General Tire 150 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last win | 2024 Reese's 150 (Kansas) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series East career | |||||||
13 races run over 2 years | |||||||
Best finish | 3rd (2019) | ||||||
First race | 2019 New Smyrna 175 (New Smyrna) | ||||||
Last race | 2020 Skip's Western Outfitters 175 (New Smyrna) | ||||||
First win | 2019 Who's Your Driver Twin 100s (South Boston) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series West career | |||||||
5 races run over 1 year | |||||||
Best finish | 13th (2019) | ||||||
First race | 2019 ENEOS NAPA Auto 150 (Irwindale) | ||||||
Last race | 2019 Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic 125 (Gateway) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of November 8, 2024. |
Tanner Sean Gray (born April 15, 1999) is an American professional racing driver who has competed in drag racing and stock car racing. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Gray is the youngest professional driver to win a national event in NHRA history, and the youngest driver to win a solo NHRA season championship. [1]
2017 marked the first year for Gray racing in the Pro Stock class within the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series alongside his father Shane Gray.
Gray made NHRA history 13 days before his 18th birthday at the 18th Annual Denso Spark Plug Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on April 2, 2017, by winning the final round against Bo Butner. He was 17 years, 11 months, and 18 days which was younger than 40-year record holder Jeb Allen, who was 18 years, 1 month, and 8 days. [1]
He won the 2017 Auto Club Road to the Future Award. The award is given to the top rookie from all of the sport's pro categories, including Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Fuel and Funny Car. [2]
In 2018, Gray won 8 times en route to the Pro Stock title, becoming the youngest ever NHRA season champion. [3]
On September 25, 2018, Gray announced he would race in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for DGR-Crosley in 2019. [4] The move came after Gray had met team owner David Gilliland in summer 2018. [5] He picked up his first win at South Boston Speedway in early May. [6]
In December 2019, the team announced that he would continue to drive in the East Series, now the ARCA Menards Series East, part-time in 2020, as well as part-time in the big 20-race ARCA Menards Series, [7] where he would share the full-time No. 17 car with his younger brother Taylor (who ran the Sioux Chief Showdown races) and Anthony Alfredo.
Gray returned to the ARCA Menards Series in 2021, running the season-opener at Daytona, finishing 7th.
On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Gray will return to the ARCA Menards Series and run six races in 2024, driving the No. 18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing. He will run at the tracks 1.5 miles and longer, since the original driver of the car, William Sawalich, is ineligible to race at those tracks due to his age. [8]
In October 2019, Gray made his NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut with DGR-Crosley at Martinsville Speedway in the No. 15 Toyota Tundra; running a three-race schedule, he also competed in the ISM Raceway and Homestead–Miami Speedway events in the No. 7. [9] [10]
On December 16, 2019, DGR-Crosley announced Gray would run full-time and for rookie of the year in the Truck Series in 2020, driving the team's No. 15 truck, [11] now a Ford F-150 after the team switched from Toyota to Ford in the offseason. Gray had a decent rookie season, earning eight top tens and four top fives, finishing 14th in the point standings and 5th in Rookie of the Year standings.
He returned to the team for 2021, under the new name David Gilliland Racing. [12] He would have an abysmal season, only earning two top tens and finishing 18th in points.
He improved significantly in 2022, which included three consecutive top-ten finishes in the first three races of the season. [13] He earned six top tens and two top fives throughout the season, improving to a 15th place points finish.
October 27, 2022, David Gilliland Racing announced that they will be moving to Toyota Racing Development in 2023, and renaming to Tricon Garage (with Tricon styled in all-capital letters). Gray would remain as one of the drivers for the team. [14] He started the 2023 season with a career-best 2nd place finish at Daytona, only behind race winner Zane Smith. [15] He would also score his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, with a lap of 29.936, and a speed of 180.385 mph (290.302 km/h). [16] He finished the season 14th in points.
On November 18, 2024, Tricon Garage announced they had renewed Gray's contract for the 2025 season.
Gray has raced in different types of cars, including Late models, modifieds, Midget cars, and stock cars. He has raced on oval dirt tracks in the area of Mooresville, including racing in the Mini Outlaw Karts category alongside Kyle Larson and Rico Abreu on Wednesday nights at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury.
Gray was born on April 15, 1999, to professional drag racer and national event champion Shane Gray and his wife Amber of Artesia, New Mexico. He is the grandson of funny car and pro stock champion Johnny Gray, making Tanner a third-generation Gray to race in the NHRA. In addition to racing, Johnny Gray was the president of Marbob Energy, the New Mexico oil producer co-founded by his father. Gray and his sister sold the company in 2010 for $1.7 billion in proceeds. [17] Since 2021, Johnny Gray has co-owned Tricon Garage. [18]
The Gray family moved from New Mexico to Mooresville, North Carolina in 2010 so that Shane Gray could pursue a career as a professional drag racer in the NHRA. Tanner's younger brother, Taylor Gray, is also a NASCAR for Joe Gibbs Racing and currently competes full-time for them in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the No. 54 car.
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | NCTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||
2019 | DGR-Crosley | 15 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | LVS | MAR | TEX | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW | CHI | KEN | POC | ELD | MCH | BRI | MSP | LVS | TAL | MAR 20 | 46th | 59 | [19] | |||||||||||||||||
7 | PHO 17 | HOM 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2020 | 15 | Ford | DAY 23 | LVS 8 | CLT 20 | ATL 11 | HOM 12 | POC 12 | KEN 9 | TEX 36 | KAN 18 | KAN 4 | MCH 3 | DRC 15 | DOV 17 | GTW 10 | DAR 29 | RCH 16 | BRI 3 | LVS 3 | TAL 29 | KAN 36 | TEX 10 | MAR 31 | PHO 15 | 14th | 511 | [20] | ||||||||||||||||
2021 | David Gilliland Racing | DAY 35 | DRC 20 | LVS 12 | ATL 19 | BRD 13 | RCH 24 | KAN 18 | DAR 33 | COA 31 | CLT 22 | TEX 9 | NSH 18 | POC 16 | KNX 31 | GLN 14 | GTW 19 | DAR 24 | BRI 38 | LVS 23 | TAL 34 | MAR 3 | PHO 35 | 18th | 323 | [21] | ||||||||||||||||||
2022 | DAY 4 | LVS 5 | ATL 8 | COA 17 | MAR 21 | BRD 15 | DAR 34 | KAN 18 | TEX 24 | CLT 6 | GTW 30 | SON 13 | KNX 22 | NSH 30 | MOH 20 | POC 10 | IRP 23 | RCH 16 | KAN 16 | BRI 17 | TAL 31 | HOM 25 | PHO 8 | 15th | 487 | [22] | ||||||||||||||||||
2023 | Tricon Garage | Toyota | DAY 2 | LVS 13 | ATL 24 | COA 8 | TEX 27 | BRD 8 | MAR 5 | KAN 18 | DAR 3 | NWS 18 | CLT 27 | GTW 21 | NSH 11 | MOH 20 | POC 36 | RCH 16 | IRP 15 | MLW 11 | KAN 26 | BRI 29 | TAL 25 | HOM 11 | PHO 9 | 14th | 533 | [23] | ||||||||||||||||
2024 | DAY 16 | ATL 19 | LVS 20 | BRI 15 | COA 10 | MAR 16 | TEX 8 | KAN 7 | DAR 10 | NWS 16 | CLT 17 | GTW 11 | NSH 14 | POC 19 | IRP 20 | RCH 12 | MLW 11 | BRI 23 | KAN 6 | TAL 30 | HOM 20 | MAR 29 | PHO 11 | 13th | 550 | [24] | ||||||||||||||||||
2025 | DAY | ATL | LVS | HOM | MAR | BRI | CAR | TEX | KAN | NWS | CLT | NSH | MCH | POC | LRP | IRP | GLN | RCH | DAR | BRI | NHA | ROV | TAL | MAR | PHO | -* | -* |
* 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 |
2019 | DGR-Crosley | 54 | Toyota | DAY | FIF 12 | SLM 7 | TAL | NSH | TOL 8 | CLT 6 | POC | MCH 5 | MAD | GTW 17 | CHI 15 | ELK | IOW | POC | ISF | DSF | SLM | IRP | KAN 6 | 19th | 1440 | [25] |
2020 | 17 | Ford | DAY 16 | PHO 4 | TAL 13 | POC 15 | IRP | KEN 9 | IOW | KAN 5 | TOL | TOL | MCH | DRC | GTW | I44 | TOL | BRI | WIN | MEM | ISF | KAN | 19th | 203 | [26] | |
2021 | David Gilliland Racing | DAY 7 | PHO | TAL | KAN | TOL | CLT | MOH | POC | ELK | BLN | IOW | WIN | GLN | MCH | ISF | MLW | DSF | BRI | SLM | KAN | 76th | 38 | [27] | ||
2024 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Toyota | DAY 24 | PHO | TAL 3 | DOV | KAN 2* | CLT 1 | IOW | MOH | BLN | IRP | SLM | ELK | MCH 3* | ISF | MLW | DSF | GLN | BRI | KAN 1* | TOL | 20th | 245 | [28] |
ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref |
2019 | DGR-Crosley | 15 | Toyota | NSM 12 | BRI 10 | SBO 1* | SBO 4 | MEM 3 | NHA 5 | IOW 6 | GLN 11 | BRI 6 | GTW 15 | NHA 2 | DOV 2 | 3rd | 458 | [29] |
2020 | 17 | Ford | NSM 18 | TOL | DOV | TOL | BRI | FIF | 47th | 26 | [30] |
NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NKNPSWC | Pts | Ref |
2019 | DGR-Crosley | 15 | Toyota | LVS | IRW 2 | TUS 2 | TUS 2 | CNS | SON | DCS | IOW 6 | EVG | GTW 15 | MER | AAS | KCR | PHO | 13th | 195 | [31] |
David Leonard Gilliland is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. Since 2017, he has operated Tricon Garage, a team that races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team has also competed in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series West and CARS Tour.
Dylan Jarin Lupton is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 15 Ford Mustang for AM Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports, and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series driving the No. 30 Mustang for Rette Jones Racing. He has also competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, what is now the ARCA Menards Series East, and the ARCA Menards Series West in the past.
Raphaël Lessard is a Canadian professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Pinty's Series for Ed Hakonson Racing. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving the No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing. He has also driven for Venturini Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series, and GMS Racing, Kyle Busch Motorsports and DGR-Crosley in the Truck Series.
Tricon Garage, formerly known as David Gilliland Racing, DGR-Crosley, and Team DGR, is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team was founded in early 2017 when racing team owners David Gilliland and Bo LeMastus came together to form a collaborative effort from their respective teams, David Gilliland Racing and Crosley Sports Group, known as DGR-Crosley. DGR-Crosley fielded Toyotas in 2018 and 2019 before announcing its switch to Ford starting in 2020. The team reverted to the David Gilliland Racing name in 2021 as Johnny Gray became a co-owner. Former co-owner and driver Bo LeMastus remained with the team in a marketing and sponsorship capacity.
Thaddeus Drake Moffitt is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports. He previously drove the No. 46 for Faction46 before the team was shut down by its owner Lane Moore due to financial constraints.
Zane Michael Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in an alliance with Trackhouse Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. He won the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship driving for Front Row Motorsports.
Tyler Michael Ankrum is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Ankrum won the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, earning DGR-Crosley's first championship in any racing series. Ankrum is the first driver born in the 21st century or later to win a NASCAR national series race.
The 2020 ARCA Menards Series season was the 68th season of the ARCA Menards Series. It began on February 8 with the Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona International Speedway and ended on October 16 with the Speediatrics 150 at Kansas Speedway. 2020 was the first season that the series was sanctioned by NASCAR.
The 2020 ARCA Menards Series East was the 34th season of the ARCA Menards Series East, a regional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR. It began on February 10 at New Smyrna Speedway with the Skip's Western Outfitters 175, and concluded on October 11 at Five Flags Speedway with the Pensacola 200. 2020 marked the first season the series was known as the ARCA Menards Series East, after it was known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East for the previous ten years.
Andrew J. Dollar is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He has raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series East and the ARCA Menards Series West.
Antoinette Marie Breidinger is an American professional stock car racing driver and model. She competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage. She has also competed in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West.
Corey David Heim is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 11 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage. He also serves as a reserve driver for 23XI Racing and Legacy Motor Club in the Cup Series. He has previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series, East Series, and West Series.
Christopher W. Lawson is an American professional stock car racing crew chief who works for Rick Ware Racing as the crew chief for Justin Haley's No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series. He previously worked with Todd Gilliland in the NASCAR West Series for Bill McAnally Racing, where the duo won two consecutive championships in 2016 and 2017 and twelve races together. Prior to becoming a crew chief, Lawson was a driver for underfunded, start and park teams in NASCAR and ARCA until 2011.
Taylor James Gray is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Jesshill Michael Gregory Love is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing.
Samuel L. Smith is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
Dean Kenneth Thompson is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage, and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. He has previously competed in the ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West.
Johnny Gray is a retired NHRA drag racer and oil company executive. Since 2021, he has been a partner in Tricon Garage, an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series, for which his grandsons Tanner and Taylor Gray compete.
The 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was the 29th season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, a stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season started with the NextEra Energy 250 on February 17 at Daytona International Speedway, and ended with the Craftsman 150 on November 3 at Phoenix Raceway.
William Sawalich is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is the 2023 and 2024 ARCA Menards Series East champion.