Joe Gibbs Racing heads to Daytona International Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season opener, carrying a legacy of excellence built over 27 years on the storied track. With a refreshed driver lineup and recent championship success, the team aims to further cement its reputation in Joe Gibbs Racing Daytona Racing this weekend.
Building on Decades of Daytona Achievements
Throughout nearly three decades at Daytona, Joe Gibbs Racing has made 136 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The team’s drivers, including legends like Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, and Ryan Truex, have amassed five victories, along with 35 top-five and 57 top-10 finishes. Their record is further enhanced by 10 pole positions and a remarkable 796 laps led at the high-paced superspeedway. Last year, Taylor Gray kicked off the season with a fifth-place finish, showcasing the team’s ongoing strength at the track.
Reviewing a Transformative 2025 Campaign
The 2025 season marked a new chapter for Joe Gibbs Racing, as all three full-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series drivers were new compared to the previous season. Despite this significant shift, the organization thrived, collecting six wins, 28 top-fives, 52 top-10s, six poles, and leading 891 laps through ten drivers in various entries. The year culminated in the No. 19 team delivering the seventh Owner’s Title for JGR in the O’Reilly series, underscoring the depth and adaptability across the team.
William Sawalich: Poised for Progress at Daytona
Piloting the No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra, William Sawalich enters his second O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaign after a notable rookie season in 2025. He secured three top-five and nine top-10 finishes, with his season highlighted by consecutive runner-up results at Portland and Gateway—his career-best to date. At Daytona, Sawalich’s track record includes two O’Reilly Series starts with a best finish of 12th, a ninth place in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and a runner-up result in the ARCA Menards Series.
Guiding Sawalich’s 2026 effort is crew chief Jeff Meendering, a veteran tactical mind with 10 Xfinity Series wins, including a 2024 visit to Richmond’s Victory Lane with Chandler Smith. Under Meendering’s leadership, teams have achieved 79 top-five finishes, 158 top-10s, and 17 poles, giving Sawalich a strong foundation for continued growth.
SoundGear, Sawalich’s sponsor, stands at the forefront of hearing protection and enhancement technology, catering to outdoorsmen, law enforcement, industrial users, and motorsports. Manufactured by Starkey in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, SoundGear products are engineered for optimal environmental awareness and hearing safety—a fitting match for the high-decibel world of Daytona racing.
Gio Ruggiero: Triple Duty on the High Banks
This weekend marks Gio Ruggiero’s debut at Daytona within the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 19 First Auto Group Toyota GR Supra. Ruggiero’s recent rise includes two top-fives and over 100 laps led in the ARCA Menards Series during 2025, including a second-place finish at Kansas. His full-time campaign in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series saw him claim Rookie of the Year and his maiden series win at Talladega, reinforced by seven top-fives and 11 top-10s.
At Daytona last year, Ruggiero showcased his superspeedway skill by charging from 34th to 2nd in his Truck Series debut, leading 11 laps. Later, at Talladega, he grabbed the pole and led 37 laps on his way to victory, highlighting his proficiency on high-speed ovals.
This event-packed weekend will see Ruggiero race in three separate series: on Friday with TRICON Garage in the No. 17 Toyota Tundra, on Saturday in the ARCA Menards Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, and wrapping up with his O’Reilly Series debut. Crew chief Seth Chavka, taking the reins for a third consecutive year, led the No. 19 team to three wins and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Owners Championship in 2025, combining experience and strategy for Ruggiero’s busy Daytona schedule.
Brandon Jones Reunites with JGR, Eyes More Daytona Success
Brandon Jones returns behind the wheel of the No. 20 Swiffer/Menards Toyota GR Supra, following his most accomplished season since 2022 after rejoining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025. Jones snapped a 98-race winless streak with victories at Darlington and Kansas, tallying eight top-fives, 13 top-10s, two pole awards, 156 laps led, and a career-best fifth-place finish in the standings. This resurgence firmly established him as a playoff contender heading into 2026.
Jones’ history at Daytona spans 20 starts, in which he earned two top-fives, six top-10s, and an average finish of 19.8. His best result—third place—came in 2019, driving for JGR. Last summer, he notched a sixth-place result, bolstered by collecting stage points in both segments of the race.
Continuity prevails in the team’s leadership as Sam McAulay returns as crew chief for a second season with Jones, marking McAulay’s third year in the O’Reilly Series. The 2025 season saw McAulay pick up his first two series victories, further cementing his reputation by guiding the No. 20 team to a sixth-place finish in the Owner’s Championship. Now, the established driver-crew chief pairing seeks to build further momentum at Daytona.
Jones continues his longstanding partnership with Menards, a Midwestern retail powerhouse in home improvement, entering their twelfth season together. The Swiffer brand, known for its innovative cleaning products, also returns for its fifth straight year as a co-primary sponsor at the season opener, reflecting the team’s strong ties to major household names.
Taylor Gray: Rising Star with Momentum
Taylor Gray, steering the No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota GR Supra, is fresh off the breakthrough of his first career O’Reilly Series win at Martinsville in October 2025. He built on that momentum with seven top-five and 15 top-10 finishes, three pole awards, and a total of 299 laps led. Gray also led 44 laps in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, ending his campaign as a clear contender in the series.
At Daytona, Gray has accrued a top-five finish in two O’Reilly Series starts, most notably beginning last season with a strong fifth-place effort after starting on the front row. His Truck Series outing at the superspeedway ended in misfortune due to a late-race incident, but his growing experience has sharpened his approach for the 2026 season opener.
Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, the winningest in O’Reilly Series history with 58 wins to his name, directs the No. 54 team this year. Ratcliff’s record at Daytona includes 12 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes, three pole positions, and 194 laps led across 33 events, lending a wealth of expertise to Gray’s campaign.
Championship Aspirations and Daytona’s Importance
For Joe Gibbs Racing, Daytona represents the launchpad for another ambitious season in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The combination of seasoned leadership, young talent like William Sawalich and Gio Ruggiero, veterans such as Brandon Jones, and rising stars like Taylor Gray, reflects the organization’s deep bench strength. Partnerships with brands such as Menards, Swiffer, and SoundGear further underline the team’s stature and appeal in the racing world, while experienced crew chiefs including Jeff Meendering, Seth Chavka, Sam McAulay, and Jason Ratcliff provide strategic depth.
As the engines fire up for the season opener, the team’s rich Daytona history, coupled with its adaptability and momentum from 2025, position Joe Gibbs Racing as a formidable contender to capture Daytona glory and set the tone for another contender-filled campaign in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
