Ahead of their efforts to defend their NASCAR Xfinity Series championship title, JR Motorsports announced Friday afternoon a shuffling of their car numbers – while also unveiling two new drivers to their fleet.
The No. 9 Xfinity Series team in 2018 will become the No. 8 team this season with an array of drivers including Jeb Burton, Spencer Gallagher, Ryan Preece, Zane Smith and Ryan Truex.
Noah Gragson, a 2019 Rookie of the Year contender expected to drive the No. 1 Chevrolet for the retired Elliott Sadler will drive the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro.
Michael Annett, who renewed his agreement with JR Motorsports last year will drive the No. 1 Chevrolet this season. The No. 1 is sentimental to the Annett family, as sprint-car icon Sammy Swindell drove a car owned by Michael’s father, Harrold Annett.
Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 team remains intact. The previously announced crew chief lineup will remain the same.
The No. 8, of course, has a long history in the Earnhardt clan, with JRM co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving it in the Cup Series from 1999 to 2007. His grandfather, Ralph Earnhardt also utilized during his NASCAR career, as well as Earnhardt Jr.’s father, Dale Earnhardt Sr.
“Everybody remembers the number on the side of the car,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a press release. “The No. 8 is very special to me and to JR Nation. There’s a lot of history with the No. 8 in my family and in NASCAR. It’s time to write some new stories and continue to add to the number’s rich heritage.”
Taylor Moyer has been tapped as crew chief of the No. 8 Chevrolet, Moyer, 31, joins JRM after working as an engineer for Hendrick Motorsports for the cars driven by Kasey Kahne and William Byron.
Gallagher will compete in three races for JR Motorsports at both Daytona (Feb. 16 and July 5) races and the April 27 race at Talladega. Gallagher announced in October that he would step away from full-time driving to move into a leadership role at GMS Racing, the NASCAR team owned by his father Maury Gallagher.
Preece recently drove for Joe Gibbs Racing part-time in Xfinity over the last two season but will drive the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for JTG Daugherty Racing this season in a Chevrolet. He’ll make his season debut at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in February.
Preece will return at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway on March 16, followed by Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (June 1) and Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on August 3.
Smith, a current member of the NASCAR Next program will run a minimum of eight races this year starting at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway in March. He’ll return at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on April 6, both Richmond Raceway races (April 12 and Sept. 20), both Dover (Del.) International Speedway events (May 4 and Oct. 5) and both Iowa Speedway tussles (June 16 and July 27).
Truex, the brother of Cup driver Martin Truex Jr. lands a part-time Xfinity ride after driving the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in 2018. This year will mark the second time a Truex has driven for Earnhardt Jr., as the 2017 Cup champion won two Xfinity championships for “Chance 2” Motorsports piloting the No. 8 in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Truex begins his four-race schedule at ISM Raceway on March 9 but won’t return behind the wheel until the fall with two races in Sept. at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway and the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL on Sept. 28 followed by Kansas Speedway on Oct. 19.
Truex will also attempt this year’s Daytona 500 for Tommy Baldwin Racing.
Burton, the son of former Cup drier Ward Burton moves to JR Motorsports after a three-race stint at Richard Childress Racing in 2018. Burton will drive the No. 8 at both Texas Motor Speedway races (March 30 and Nov. 2), Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 25, Chicagoland Speedway (June 29) and the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16.
Car numbers are as memorable as the drivers who race them. Glad to have a familiar one coming back. I've been ready to announce this for weeks. https://t.co/o3REQeFx35
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) January 25, 2019
It’s been a busy week for JR Motorsports who announced Thursday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame with GMS Racing the launch of a driver development program.
The “Drivers Edge Development” will help groom the next generation of drivers through the JRM and GMS stables, giving them the opportunity to progress through NASCAR’s ranks.
Between the two organizations, six different drivers are included in the inaugural class, ranging in competition from Late Models through the NASCAR K&N Series, ARCA and the NASCAR Truck and Xfinity Series.
The program which was 11 months in the making not only includes on-track competition and analysis but will have a huge focus on professional development off the track in areas including brand building, social media, fan and media relations, as well as physical, mental and technical development.
“We wanted to give these drivers the opportunity to see what building a brand is all about,” JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt said at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown Charlotte. “There are a lot of things that are important outside of the race car and when it comes to building a brand, how to use social media to your advantage, being able to carry a conversation with the media.
“I was real fortunate before I started in the Xfinity Series in 1998 to go through a program that helped me a tremendous amount as far as my interviewing skills and carry myself in front of media.
“There are a lot of drivers that come through this sport and we just want to give them the ability and the tools they need outside of the race car as well.”
The six drivers registered for the program:
• Noah Gragson, 20, fulltime driver for JRM in the Xfinity Series
• John Hunter Nemechek, 21 fulltime driver for GMS Racing in the Xfinity Series
• Zane Smith, 19, a part-time driver for JRM in the Xfinity Series
• Sheldon Creed, 21, fulltime Truck Series driver for GMS Racing
• Sam Mayer, 15, who is racing a combination schedule of Truck, ARCA and K&N for GMS and select Late Model races with JR Motorsports
• Adam Lemke, 16, who will compete in Late Model races for JR Motorsports.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
