NASCAR Next alumnus Gray Gaulding will join BK Racing full-time in the No. 23 Toyota Camry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, beginning at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Mar. 5, CATCHFENCE.com has confirmed.
Gaulding will join his Ron Devine-owned team at Daytona International Speedway next month to support teammate Joey Gase who already has been announced for the 59th annual DAYTONA 500.
“This is by far the biggest day of my career, but this year is gonna be very different because I’m gonna be in the car every week,” Gaulding told CATCHFENCE.com. “I’ve prepared all off season just getting in mentally and physically ready because the Cup Series is a grind all season and I do feel ready for this huge opportunity this season.”
Racing since the age of three, Gaulding first burst onto the spotlight with a runner-up performance in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2013 in the inaugural Battle at the Beach at Daytona International Speedway. He ended the year with a controversial victory at Phoenix International Raceway in the West division.
Also in 2013, Gaulding became the youngest pole winner in K&N competition at his hometown track of Richmond International Raceway at 15 years, 2 months and 15 days.
During a three-year span in K&N driving for a variety of teams, Gaulding posted 13 top-five and 25 top-10s.
As a member of the NASCAR Next Class, an initiative to spotlight the sport’s next rising stars, the Colonial Heights, Va. native entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2014 for NTS Motorsports where he earned a career-best fourth at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
In 2015, the 18-year-old joined Kyle Busch Motorsports for four races earning a top-10 finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Gaulding, a two-time member of the NASCAR Next class also added two NASCAR XFINITY Series races to his resume for Roush Fenway Racing last year earning 13th place finishes in both races at Bristol Motor Speedway and Richmond respectively.
Later in the year, he joined The Motorsports Group for a three-race deal in the Cup Series. Qualifying for two of those three races, the Virginian missed the season-finale at Homestead, but earned crucial seat time at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix.
“My goal this year is to learn as much as possible about these cars an bond with my team throughout the season to get some solid finishes, added Gaulding. “Realistic goals at first I would love to be in the top 25 right out of the gate and build on that all year to hopefully get to where we can run in the top-15. Maybe, even a top-10 here or there. I’m just really looking
forward to working with my crew chief Patrick Donahue all season an hope we can get our cars better and get some solid finishes.”
BK Racing team owner Ron Devine is no stranger to working with rookies and young drivers at the sport’s elite level. Gaulding is the latest protégé following in the footsteps of Landon Cassill, Alex Bowman, Ryan Truex and Jeb Burton.
“Over the years, BK Racing has given many talented young drivers the chance to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and make a name for themselves,” said Ron Devine, owner of BK Racing. “We see Gray Gaulding as a potential superstar in our sport.”
Sponsorship for Gaulding’s effort will be announced at a later date.
A Gray Gaulding Racing spokesperson also confirmed that there is no intentions to run the ARCA Racing Series opener at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18, as once rumored.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
