In an effort to continue to strengthen their NASCAR XFINITY Series program, JGL Racing will switch from Toyota to Fords next season beginning with the Feb. 17 season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The Denver, N.C.-based team will have a technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, while also using RoushYates horsepower as the team enters their fourth full-season of XFINITY Series competition in 2018.
It will be the third manufacturer change for JGL Racing owned by California entrepreneur James Whitener since their inception in 2014. The team who hosted a variety of drivers in its freshman season debuting at Daytona ran Dodge Chargers acquired from Team Penske before making the move to Toyota in 2015.
Since then, the team has steadily gained traction with their on-track performances and garnered awareness this year when the company earned back-to-back top-five finishes with driver Dakoda Armstrong at Iowa Speedway and Daytona respectively.
In the summer event at Daytona, the team placed both of their cars inside the top-five with a third-place finish by Armstrong (No. 28) and a career-best fourth place in the team’s second entry driven by Jeb Burton (No. 24).
NASCAR Next alumnus Dylan Lupton also led laps for the organization this year at Iowa Speedway in June.
In driver news, teenager Kaz Grala has been tapped to drive the team’s No. 24 Ford Mustang next season in a multi-year agreement.
“I am beyond excited about the opportunity to drive for JGL Racing next year full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series,” said Grala. “I’ve been watching XFINITY races since I was a little kid, so to be able to compete at that high of a level is nothing short of a dream come true. I can’t thank James Whitener (owner of JGL Racing) and everyone at JGL enough for this opportunity. Bring on Daytona!”
After spending the last two seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with GMS Racing, Grala will graduate to the sport’s second-tier series, run the full-season slate and contend for Rookie of the Year honors.
Earlier this season, the Westborough, Ma. native won his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in the season-opening race at Daytona becoming the youngest Truck Series winner at the World Center of Racing and becoming the first team to earn a spot into the post-season Playoffs.
Grala was eliminated from championship contention following an accident in the Round of 8 eliminator race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway last month.
Before Trucks, Grala burst onto the racing scene by making a name for himself in Late Model racing by breaking records. In his first race at fabled Hickory Motor Speedway,
He also won the 2013 UARA 150 and became the youngest winner in series history. The following year, he became the youngest NASCAR winner in Caraway Speedway history when he held off the Whelen All-American Series National Champion to win the 171-lap event.
In 2015, Grala won his Pro All Stars Series debut at South Boston (Va.) Speedway with a dominant performance, leading 131 of 150 laps.
An experienced road racer, Grala differentiates himself by tearing up road-course events each year. He has won the 12 hours of NJMP, the 13 hours of VIR and competed in the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the pinnacle of sports-car racing in America.
Entering Friday night’s Truck Series finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, the 18-year-old has amassed one win, five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. He currently is eighth in the championship standings, one point before former fellow championship contender Chase Briscoe.
Since 2014, JGL has competed in 242 XFINITY Series races with five top-five finishes and 11 top-10 finishes overall.
In addition to Armstrong, Burton and Lupton, Cale Conley, Drew Herring, Scott Lagasse Jr. and Corey LaJoie have competed in XFINITY Series races for JGL this season.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
