RICHMOND, Va.: A little bit of strategy and a whole lot of hustle propelled Taylor Gray to a strong finish in his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Saturday afternoon’s ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway.
Overcoming a poor starting spot in his No. 19 Place of Hope Toyota Supra, Gray methodically worked his way through the field during Stage 1 and finished a competitive 17th.
Utilizing track position and a well-balanced race car to his advantage, Gray continued his uphill climb during Stage 2 and, during the 60-lap or so, was able to maneuver inside the top-10 before taking fourth at the Stage 2 finish, earning some much-welcomed stage points for his Joe Gibbs Racing team.
In Stage 3, Gray continued to mount impressive lap times, but when the caution waved for a crashed Joey Gase in Turn 1 on Lap 173, the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team led by crew chief Seth Chavka elected to pit – joining his three other Joe Gibbs Racing teammates for four fresh tires and fuel to make it to the finish.
Restarting 20th on Lap 184 with 66 laps remaining, Gray took advantage of the fresh rubber on the track and followed his teammates through the field.
Without a caution over the remaining 57 miles of the race, Gray capitalized on the tire benefit over most of his competitors and a neutrally balanced race car to take third at the checkered flag.
Gray, the full-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series driver for TRICON Garage, joined two of his JGR teammates on the podium. Chandler Smith captured his second win of the season, with former Cup Series driver Aric Almirola finishing second in his first outing in the No. 20 Toyota Supra this season.
Gray, 19, said after the race, patience during Stage 3 paid dividends toward a strong Xfinity Series debut.
“Just being patient all day,” offered Gray when asked how he was able to manage his race. “I can’t thank all of the Joe Gibbs Racing guys enough for bring me a great A Place of Hope Toyota GR Supra.
“It was definitely as fast as Xfinity internet today. I made too many mistakes there throughout the race to be able to capitalize on such a fast car. I can’t thank all of my guys enough back at the shop.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01 or email at [email protected].
