Joe Gibbs’ 2025 Recruit Lets Slip Best Friend Ty Gibbs’ Hand in Securing JGR Seat

Joe Gibbs Racing has been busy with changes to its driver lineups in 2024. After adding Chase Briscoe to their Cup Series roster, they also announced Taylor Gray's signing to their Xfinity Series set up for the 2025 season. Gray will take command of the JGR's flagship car, the #54 Toyota GR Supra, but this move wasn't on the young driver's bingo card.

Apart from the change in personnel, JGR also made significant changes at the management level. This is where Taylor Gray's good friend and Cup Series driver Ty Gibbs comes into the picture. The driver of the #54 Cup car is the owner of the #54 Xfinity Series team. And this change of guard is what opened the doors for Gray to enter JGR for a full-time ride.

Taylor Gray reveals the story behind his signing as a full-time driver for #54 car The 19-year-old Mexico native has enjoyed success at every level of his NASCAR journey. In the ARCA Series across the three platforms, he has a total of nine wins to his name. This helped him breakthrough at the Truck Series level. In just his second year with the team, he's managed to reach the playoffs and is in contention to win the championship.

Apart from his Truck Series duties, Gray made his way to the Xfinity Series to run limited races at JGR in the #19 car. He's earned a pair of top 5 finishes and a streak of consistent top 20 results. In his mind, Gray knew that he would be returning to the Xfinity Series on a part-time run next year. But, little did he know that his friend Ty Gibbs had big plans for him with the iconic #54 team.

Sharing the story about how Ty Gibbs broke the news about his jump to a full-time ride in 2025, Gray, while speaking on DJR Reloaded, said , "I just got a race in Talladega, wrecked early, and I went over to his bus after the race, and we're kinda talking about next year. He's asking about some numbers stuff; at the time I was listed for 19 for next year, and one thing led to another, and he said I was running the 54."

At first, Gray was taken aback by the offer and told his friend that he was okay with not driving the #54 entry. But Gibbs had made up his mind and was also reminded of the prestige and pressure that came along with this move. "Yeah, it's definitely a lot of expectation behind the number, a lot of success behind it. The last time it was on the track, it won the championship. So Ty made sure to let me know that too," Gray added.

Meanwhile, the team also announced the return of Brandon Jones for the 2025 season after he struggled for two years at JRM and switched to the Chevy camp.

Jones is glad to be back at Joe Gibbs Racing Having onboarded a young talent in Taylor Gray, JGR also marked the return of their seasoned driver back to their stables for 2025. Brandon Jones switched gears to JR Motorsports after 2022, and since then his progress as a driver has hit a brick wall. In 62 races driving the #9 Chevy Camaro, Jones hasn't been in the victory lane once. The last time he won an Xfinity Series race, he was in the JGR colors, so a move back to his home does make sense.

"I'm beyond excited to be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing and rejoining the Toyota Racing family. My time with JGR was some of the most rewarding of my career, and I'm eager to build on that success as we chase more wins and a championship together. I'm ready to hit the ground running and make the most of this incredible opportunity." Jones said in a press release shared by JGR.

Jones still has four more races with JRM to complete his season, and he could end his journey with the team on a good note by parking the #9 Chevy in the victory lane.