Tyler Ankrum

Tyler Michael Ankrum Bio

Tyler Michael Ankrum (born March 6, 2001) is an American professional stock car racing driver competing full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He drives the No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing and has established himself as one of the series’ rising talents. Ankrum won the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, earning DGR-Crosley its first championship in any racing series. He is the first driver born in the 21st century or later to win a NASCAR national series race, marking a historic milestone in the sport.

Born in San Bernardino, California, Ankrum was raised on a ranch in Southern California by his mother Michelle and his father, who dabbled in racing and introduced Tyler to motorsports at a young age. As a young boy, Ankrum dreamed of being a professional bull rider like his childhood hero Lane Frost, but his mother encouraged him to pursue other interests and he soon gravitated toward professional golf before settling on racing. When Ankrum and his family relocated to North Carolina to further his racing career, they settled in Mooresville, the heart of NASCAR country. He attended Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, graduating in 2019 while simultaneously competing at the national racing level. After growing up on one, Ankrum now owns and operates a 474-acre ranch, actively managing it on weekdays away from the racetrack.

Early Life and Background

Tyler Michael Ankrum was born on March 6, 2001, in San Bernardino, California, and grew up on a ranch in Southern California alongside his mother Michelle and his father, who had his own racing background. Growing up in that environment gave Ankrum early and consistent exposure to motorsports, though his first sporting passion was actually bull riding, inspired by Lane Frost, before his mother guided him toward safer pursuits and ultimately into competitive racing. The family moved from California to North Carolina when Ankrum was still young, relocating to Mooresville so he could pursue stock car racing at a higher level. He attended Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, graduating in 2019 while actively competing in national NASCAR events, demonstrating an ability to balance elite-level athletics with academic commitments. Beyond racing, Ankrum owns and operates a 474-acre ranch, maintaining the ranching lifestyle he grew up with while managing the demands of a full-time NASCAR schedule.

Path to NASCAR

Growing up on the West Coast, Ankrum began his racing career in quarter midgets before advancing to late model stock car competition, winning his first late model race at Caraway Speedway at just fourteen years old. He spent one year competing in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock division before switching to super late models in late 2015, which allowed him to travel and compete at premier tracks across the country. Ankrum found immediate success in super late model racing, winning Hickory Motor Speedway’s Fall Brawl in 2015 and finishing third in the 2018 Rattler 250, results that caught the attention of NASCAR team owners. In January 2018, he signed with David Gilliland Racing to run half of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season, a partnership that quickly expanded into a full-time effort as additional funding became available. By May 2018, he had won his fourth career start in the series at South Boston Speedway, then went on a midsummer tear with three consecutive victories at Thompson Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and a combination east–west race at Iowa Speedway, ultimately clinching the 2018 K&N Pro Series East championship and giving DGR-Crosley its first championship in any racing series.

Tyler Michael Ankrum Career

Early Career (2015–2018)

Ankrum’s early career was built on the West Coast late model and super late model circuit, where his first late model victory came at Caraway Speedway at age fourteen, signaling his arrival as a precocious talent. He won Hickory Motor Speedway’s Fall Brawl in 2015 and placed third in the 2018 Rattler 250, performances that validated his move from quarter midgets through the CARS Tour into regional super late model competition. His 2018 K&N Pro Series East season with DGR-Crosley was the defining chapter of this period: he won at South Boston Speedway, Thompson Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Iowa Speedway, capturing the championship and marking DGR-Crosley’s first title in any racing series.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2018–2021)

Ankrum made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in 2018 at Martinsville Speedway, driving the No. 54 Toyota Tundra for DGR-Crosley and starting nineteenth before finishing eighteenth. He scored his first top-ten finish in his second career start, placing sixth at ISM Raceway, and entered 2019 planning a part-time schedule due to sponsorship limitations. A last-minute full-time deal with DGR-Crosley starting at the spring Martinsville race reshaped his season, and he celebrated his high school graduation on stage during pre-race ceremonies at Texas before recovering from multiple incidents to finish a then-career-best third. On July 11, 2019, Ankrum scored his first career Truck Series win at Kentucky Speedway after Brett Moffitt ran out of fuel on the final lap—becoming the first driver born in the 21st century to win a NASCAR national series race. The victory qualified him for the 2019 playoffs, though he was eliminated in the Round of 6.

For the 2020 season, Ankrum joined GMS Racing to run the full Truck Series schedule, earning a playoff berth in his first year with the team. He remained with GMS through 2021, building the kind of full-season consistency that would define his approach in subsequent years. In 2022, Ankrum returned to Toyota machinery by joining Hattori Racing Enterprises in the No. 16 Toyota Tundra, racing through 2023 as he continued refining his craft at the national series level.

McAnally–Hilgemann Racing Era (2024–Present)

On December 7, 2023, McAnally–Hilgemann Racing announced that Ankrum would join the team for the 2024 season, driving the renumbered No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado RST. The move marked a new chapter for Ankrum, who transitioned to Chevrolet machinery for the first time in his national series career. His steady performance throughout the 2024 regular season earned him his first playoff appearance since 2020, though he was ultimately eliminated at the conclusion of the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway. Ankrum started the 2025 season with a 34th-place DNF at Daytona International Speedway, but broke a 130-race winless drought—the longest in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history—two months later with a fuel mileage victory in the Truck Series return to Rockingham Speedway.

Driving Style and Strengths

Ankrum’s driving style is rooted in the fundamentals he developed in quarter midgets and late models: patient race craft, clean lines through traffic, and disciplined lap-after-lap consistency. He is particularly effective on short tracks and superspeedways, where his experience in super late model racing translates well to NASCAR national series competition. His ability to manage fuel mileage—demonstrated most dramatically in his 2025 Rockingham win—combined with steady finishes across a full season has made him a reliable presence in the Truck Series playoff picture.

Notable Races and Milestones

Ankrum’s first career Truck Series win at Kentucky Speedway in 2019 is perhaps his most historically significant result, as he became the first driver born in the 21st century to win a NASCAR national series race after capitalizing on Brett Moffitt’s final-lap fuel issue. His 2018 K&N Pro Series East championship gave DGR-Crosley its first title in any racing series, and the three consecutive wins he scored during that championship run highlighted his peak form. The 2025 Rockingham victory ended the longest winless drought in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history and reaffirmed his ability to compete at the highest level of the series.

Tyler Michael Ankrum Career Wins

Ankrum’s career victories span multiple NASCAR national and regional series, beginning with his 2018 K&N Pro Series East championship and extending through a first-career Truck Series win at Kentucky Speedway in 2019 and his breakthrough 2025 victory at Rockingham Speedway.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights

Ankrum’s first and most significant Truck Series victory came on July 11, 2019, at Kentucky Speedway, where he inherited the lead on the final lap after Brett Moffitt ran out of fuel. The win was historically significant: it marked DGR-Crosley’s first career Truck Series victory and made Ankrum the first driver born in the 21st century or later to win a NASCAR national series race. That victory earned him a spot in the 2019 playoffs, though he was eliminated in the Round of 6. He was also named the 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Rookie of the Year. His second career Truck Series win came in 2025 at Rockingham Speedway, ending a 130-race winless streak that stood as the longest in series history, secured through a strategic fuel mileage gamble on the track’s return to the schedule.

Other Wins and Performances

Ankrum won the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, securing DGR-Crosley’s first title in any racing series, highlighted by four series wins including a combination east–west race at Iowa Speedway. In regional super late model competition, he captured victories at Hickory Motor Speedway’s Fall Brawl in 2015 and competed strongly in the 2018 Rattler 250, where he finished third.

Tyler Michael Ankrum Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Ankrum grew up in San Bernardino, California, raised by his mother Michelle and his father, who dabbled in racing and introduced his son to motorsports at a young age. Living on a ranch in Southern California, Ankrum spent his childhood immersed in an environment that valued hard work and mechanical aptitude—qualities that would serve him well throughout his racing career. The family’s relocation to North Carolina was a direct commitment to Tyler’s racing future, settling in Mooresville, which has long been recognized as the center of the NASCAR universe. His father’s involvement in racing provided early exposure to the sport, though Ankrum initially dreamed of following in the footsteps of bull rider Lane Frost before his mother encouraged him toward a different athletic path.

Personal Life

Ankrum attended Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, North Carolina, graduating in 2019 while actively competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, including celebrating his graduation on stage during pre-race ceremonies at Texas Motor Speedway. He currently resides in Mooresville, North Carolina, maintaining proximity to the NASCAR teams and facilities that define his professional life. After growing up on a ranch, Ankrum now owns and actively operates a 474-acre ranch, dedicating weekdays away from the racetrack to its management.

2025 Season Performance

Ankrum entered the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season driving the No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing, carrying momentum from a strong 2024 campaign that had earned him his first playoff appearance since 2020. The season opened with a difficult 34th-place DNF at Daytona International Speedway, but Ankrum responded two months later with one of the most notable victories of his career at Rockingham Speedway, the track’s return to the Truck Series schedule. His fuel mileage win at Rockingham ended a 130-race winless drought—the longest in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history—by executing a precise fuel strategy that left competitors behind on the final stretch. The victory reaffirmed Ankrum’s place among the series’ most competitive drivers and provided McAnally–Hilgemann Racing with a defining moment heading into the playoff stretch run.