John Hunter Nemechek will have a new home for the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
After competing this year with Chip Ganassi Racing, Nemechek will contend for Rookie of the Year honors and drive the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro for GMS Racing beginning with February’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Sat., Feb. 16, 2019.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity that Mr. Gallagher and the whole GMS organization has presented to me to be able to go run full-time in 2019,” said Nemechek.
“The results that GMS Racing showed last year in their Xfinity program were impressive. Their goal is to create a championship-caliber team, like their truck program, and I believe that we can achieve that goal this 2019 season.”
The Mooresville, N.C. native replaces Spencer Gallagher who will transition into a managerial role next year.
The 21-year-old will shift to GMS Racing from CGR after running 18 races this season. The son of four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner Joe Nemechek found himself hunting for a full-time ride next year after Ross Chastain was tapped to drive for CGR for a full-schedule in 2019 with support from DC Solar.
In his 18 races, Nemechek won his first Xfinity race at Kansas Speedway two weeks after Chastain won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the same CGR car. In addition to the win, he earned one pole, six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes overall. He led 211 laps over the season and managed a 10.1 average finish.
In addition to his Xfinity starts in 2018, the NASCAR Next alumnus competed in 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races for his family-owned NEMCO Motorsports. He earned his sixth series win at Martinsville Speedway in March on his way to a pole at Michigan International Speedway, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes overall.
Four-time winning Xfinity Series crew chief Chad Norris will remain with GMS and lead Nemechek in his Xfinity championship pursuit.
GMS Racing president Mike Beam told CATCHFENCE.com that Nemechek was the lead candidate to replace Gallagher at Texas Motor Speedway in November, but a deal had not yet been finalized.
“John Hunter (Nemechek) is a wheelman,” said Beam. “We are excited to have him on board this coming 2019 season. With how much progress we showed last year in our Xfinity program, I know that John Hunter will take us to the next level.”
Ganassi said at the time of Chastain’s announcement at ISM Raceway a week later that he would like to keep Nemechek in a second Xfinity car for 2019, but sponsorship for a full season had to be obtained.
“It’s safe to say that John Hunter has done a great job for us and I like the kid and I want him around,” said Ganassi on Nov. 9. “I’m actively working. I’d love to run two cars in Xfinity next year full-time. That’d be the best. That’d be the best of all worlds if I could do that.”
Frontstretch.com reported Nemechek was joining GMS Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but sources tell CATCHFENCE.com that the agreement had not yet been signed at the time of their publication.
Also, per sources, Fire Alarm Services is expected to join Nemechek at GMS Racing next year, but further details on the team’s sponsorship lineup for 2019 will be announced at a later date.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
