Tanner Gray

Tanner Gray
Gray at Martinsville Speedway in 2024
BornTanner Sean Gray
(1999-04-15) April 15, 1999 (age 25)
Artesia, New Mexico, U.S.
Achievements2018 NHRA Pro Stock champion
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
117 races run over 6 years
Truck no., teamNo. 15 (Tricon Garage)
2024 position13th
Best finish13th (2024)
First race2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 (Martinsville)
Last race2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 27 2
ARCA Menards Series career
21 races run over 4 years
Best finish19th (2019, 2020)
First race2019 Pensacola 200 (Pensacola)
Last race2024 Reese's 150 (Kansas)
First win2024 General Tire 150 (Charlotte)
Last win2024 Reese's 150 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles
2 14 2
ARCA Menards Series East career
13 races run over 2 years
Best finish3rd (2019)
First race2019 New Smyrna 175 (New Smyrna)
Last race2020 Skip's Western Outfitters 175 (New Smyrna)
First win2019 Who's Your Driver Twin 100s (South Boston)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 9 1
ARCA Menards Series West career
5 races run over 1 year
Best finish13th (2019)
First race2019 ENEOS NAPA Auto 150 (Irwindale)
Last race2019 Monaco Cocktails Gateway Classic 125 (Gateway)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 4 1
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. 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]

Racing career

Drag racing

Gray racing against his father Shane in the 2017 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals

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]

ARCA Series

2019–2020: DGR-Crosley

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.

2021: David Gilliland Racing

Gray returned to the ARCA Menards Series in 2021, running the season-opener at Daytona, finishing 7th.

2024: Joe Gibbs Racing

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]

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

2019–Present: Tricon Garage

Gray running the 2019 K&N Pro Series East race at Bristol Motor Speedway

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.

Gray's No. 15 truck at Sonoma in 2022

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.

Other racing

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.

Personal life

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.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series

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 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

ARCA Menards Series

(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
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

ARCA Menards Series East results
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]

K&N Pro Series West

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
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]

References

  1. ^ a b Benson, Candida (April 17, 2017). "Youngest Pro winners". NHRA. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Gray earns 2017 Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award". November 13, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ^ "Tanner Gray,19, wins Pro Stock title to become youngest NHRA season champion". USA Today. November 10, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  4. ^ "Tanner Gray to transition to NASCAR K&N East Series". Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  5. ^ Crandall, Kelly (January 23, 2020). "NASCAR podcast: Tanner Gray". RACER. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  6. ^ Segal, Davey. "NHRA champion Tanner Gray earns maiden NASCAR K&N East victory at South Boston". Autoweek. Retrieved May 6, 2019.
  7. ^ "Gray set to run full Truck series schedule in 2020". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. December 16, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Branscum, Benjamine (December 13, 2023). "Joe Gibbs Racing, William Sawalich Team Up For 2024 ARCA Menards Series Schedule, Add Tanner Gray To Driver Lineup". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tanner Gray to make Truck Series debut in Martinsville". DGR-Crosley. October 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Boarman, John (November 4, 2019). "Tanner Gray driving fifth DGR truck to finish season". Tireball.
  11. ^ Bonkowski, Jerry (December 16, 2019). "Tanner Gray to race Truck full-time in 2020 for DGR-Crosley". NBC Sports.
  12. ^ Renck, Tracy (January 13, 2021). "Tanner Gray Preparing For Second Season in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series". Competition Plus. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  13. ^ Christie, Toby (November 11, 2021). "Jerry Baxter Moving to Tanner Gray, No. 15 David Gilliland Racing Truck Team in 2022". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  14. ^ "Toyota Racing Development Announces Partnership with TRICON Garage". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Tanner Gray Earns Career-Best Finish in Tricon Debut". Speedway Digest. February 17, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Srigley, Joseph (May 26, 2023). "Tanner Gray Notches First Career Pole in Truck Series Qualifying at Charlotte". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "How drag racing became the sport of millionaires". Fortune.com. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "David Gilliland Partners With Johnny Gray To Form David Gilliland Racing". ARCAracing.com. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  19. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  20. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  21. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  22. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  23. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  24. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  25. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2019 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  26. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2020 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  27. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  28. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2024 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  29. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  30. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2020 ARCA Menards Series East results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  31. ^ "Tanner Gray – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2019.