Taylor Gray Bio
Taylor James Gray (born March 25, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. Gray rose through the late model and ARCA ranks before moving into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and later the Xfinity Series, building a reputation as a young, consistent talent in Toyota-backed equipment.
Early Life and Background
Taylor James Gray was born on March 25, 2005, in Artesia, New Mexico. He grew up in a family with deep roots in motorsports, and that environment shaped his early interest in racing. His family ties to drag racing gave him a unique perspective on competition from a young age, and he spent much of his childhood around high-performance vehicles and racetracks.
Gray made his competitive debut in a late model in March 2018 at the age of twelve, driving for Lee Faulk Racing and Development at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Paramount Auto Group Limited Late Model Series. He finished sixth in that first event, an impressive showing for a young driver, and returned to Hickory two months later to win his first late model race after running in the top two positions for the entire event.
Path to NASCAR
In 2019, Gray and his brother Tanner were signed by DGR-Crosley. Because Taylor was under the age of fifteen, he was not yet eligible to compete in a NASCAR series, so he ran full-time in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour. He picked up a win at Hickory Motor Speedway in just his second start, finishing the year ninth in points and also entering the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Martinsville.
When Gray turned fifteen in 2020, DGR announced he would drive all races in the ARCA Menards Series East in their No. 17 Ford, along with select ARCA Menards Series events. He also returned to the CARS Series part-time and won the season-opener at Southern National Motorsports Park, continuing to build the résumé that would eventually move him into NASCAR national series competition.
Taylor Gray Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
Gray’s earliest stock car experience came at Hickory Motor Speedway, where he proved he could compete and win against older, more experienced drivers. His 2019 CARS Late Model Stock Tour campaign with DGR-Crosley included a victory at Hickory in only his second start, and he ended the year ninth in points despite skipping two mid-season races. He also led all 200 laps of the Whelen All-American Series Fall Brawl at Hickory, giving him three wins at the track by the age of fourteen.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Gray became eligible for ARCA competition in 2020 and ran a full ARCA Menards Series East slate for David Gilliland Racing, picking up a third-place finish at the New Smyrna Speedway opener in a photo finish. He returned for another full East Series season and was cleared to race again in July after a single-car accident in Statesville, North Carolina. He also won an ARCA West race at Portland after another competitor was penalized, and added a victory in the Star Nursery 150.
In 2022, Gray won the General Tire 150 at Phoenix, leading 43 laps and dedicating the win to a hauler driver who had died in a transport accident days earlier. He also scored ARCA East wins at Dover, Mid-Ohio, and Pocono, along with another ARCA West victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring, cementing his reputation as one of the top young talents in the ARCA ladder.
Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2021-2024)
Gray made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Watkins Glen International in 2021 for David Gilliland Racing, finishing 35th, with a best result of eighth at Martinsville across five starts. In 2022, he expanded to eight races and ran a strong race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, leading until he was spun by John Hunter Nemechek with two laps remaining.
When David Gilliland Racing rebranded as Tricon Garage and switched to Toyota Racing Development in 2023, Gray stayed with the team for his first full season, missing the first three races due to age restrictions but earning a playoff waiver. He posted a third-place finish at Pocono and two consecutive top-fives during the playoffs at Kansas and Bristol. In 2024, Tricon Garage confirmed Gray would run his first full Truck season, and he made the Playoffs for the first time, finishing fourth at Martinsville after a late-race incident with Christian Eckes.
Xfinity Series Era (2024-Present)
On December 13, 2023, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Gray would run ten Xfinity Series races in 2024, driving the No. 19 Toyota and sharing the ride with several teammates. He debuted at Richmond Raceway and finished a strong third, then posted results of thirteenth at Martinsville and eleventh at Texas. On October 16, 2024, JGR confirmed that Gray would move to a full-time Xfinity Series role in 2025, taking over the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra.
During the 2025 Xfinity season, Gray was leading late at the Martinsville spring race when contact from Sammy Smith spun him around, costing him the win. He was eliminated in the Round of 12, but later scored his first career Xfinity Series victory at Martinsville, a long-awaited milestone in his young career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gray has built a reputation for short-track and intermediate-track consistency, with a strong feel for late-race restarts and door-to-door race craft. His years in late models and ARCA gave him a calm, mature approach to traffic, and he has shown the ability to lead late in races on tracks like Martinsville and Pocono. Working within the Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing development system has also helped him sharpen his communication with crew chiefs and engineers.
Notable Races and Milestones
Gray’s first career Truck Series threat came at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2022, where he led late before being spun by Nemechek. A dramatic late-race crash at the 2024 Daytona Truck opener saw him barrel-roll through the field and walk away uninjured. His first Xfinity Series win at Martinsville in 2025 stands as the defining milestone of his national series career so far.
Taylor Gray Career Wins
Gray’s verified victories span the ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with additional wins in late model competition. His path from Hickory Motor Speedway short tracks to the Xfinity Series has produced wins at high-profile venues including Dover, Mid-Ohio, Pocono, and Martinsville.
Xfinity Series Highlights
Gray made his Xfinity Series debut in 2024 with a third-place run at Richmond Raceway. In 2025, racing full-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra, he captured his first career Xfinity Series victory at Martinsville, a defining moment after several late-race heartbreaks earlier in the season.
Other Wins and Performances
In the ARCA Menards Series East, Gray won at Dover, Mid-Ohio, and Pocono in 2022, and he added ARCA Menards Series West victories at Portland and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring that same year. He also won the 2022 General Tire 150 at Phoenix in the main ARCA Menards Series, leading 43 laps and dedicating the win to a fallen hauler driver. Earlier, he won multiple CARS Late Model Stock Tour events and the CARS Series season-opener at Southern National Motorsports Park in 2020.
Taylor Gray Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gray comes from a multi-generational racing family. His older brother, Tanner Gray, competes for Tricon Garage in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Their father, Shane Gray, is an NHRA driver, and their grandfather, Johnny Gray, is a Funny Car driver and businessman who has also served as president of Marbob Energy. Since 2021, Johnny Gray has co-owned Tricon Garage, giving the family a direct presence in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team ranks.
Personal Life
Gray continues to be recognized as one of the youngest drivers in the NASCAR national series pipeline, and he has spent most of his career based around the team’s shop operations. Outside of racing, one of his hobbies is wakeboarding. He remains connected to his New Mexico roots while competing out of the Joe Gibbs Racing and Tricon Garage facilities.
2025 Season Performance
Gray’s 2025 campaign began with a full-time move into the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, taking over the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra. His first win at Martinsville was the clear highlight of the year, capping a season in which he showed steady improvement on short tracks and intermediates. He also led late at the Martinsville spring race before a late incident took him out of contention.
Despite the early exit from the playoffs in the Round of 12, the Martinsville victory cemented his place as a weekly threat in the Xfinity Series. Working within the Joe Gibbs Racing system gave him access to established teammates and crew chief resources, which translated into stronger qualifying runs and race-day execution. The 2025 season served as a foundation year for what the team expects to be a long Xfinity Series run for Gray.
