Taylor Gray Bio
Taylor James Gray (born March 25, 2005) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Artesia, New Mexico. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. Gray has worked his way up through the ARCA Menards Series ladder and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before reaching the national Xfinity-level tour.
Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall, Gray began his racing career at age 12 in a late model and has steadily climbed the stock car ladder. He is a Toyota Development Driver and part of a well-known racing family, with both his brother and grandfather involved in motorsports at the highest levels.
Early Life and Background
Taylor James Gray was born on March 25, 2005, in Artesia, New Mexico. He grew up in a household deeply rooted in motorsports, which gave him early exposure to race tracks and high-performance machinery. His father, Shane Gray, is an NHRA driver, and his grandfather, Johnny Gray, was a Funny Car driver and businessman who served as president of Marbob Energy. The family background provided Taylor with both financial support and technical knowledge as he pursued his racing dreams.
Gray first climbed into a race car as a preteen, learning the basics of stock car racing on short tracks in the Southeast. He was able to turn his childhood interest into a competitive path thanks to family connections in the sport, and he focused on late model racing during his early teenage years. His upbringing in a racing family helped him understand the importance of discipline, fitness, and preparation from a young age.
Path to NASCAR
Gray made his competitive debut in March 2018 at age 12, driving for Lee Faulk Racing and Development at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Paramount Auto Group Limited Late Model Series. He finished sixth in his first start and won a race at the same track two months later, signaling his potential on short tracks. By 2019, both Taylor and his older brother Tanner were signed by DGR-Crosley, with Taylor competing full-time in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour because he was too young for NASCAR national series at the time.
He picked up a CARS Tour win at Hickory in just his second start that season and ended the year ninth in points. He also entered the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race at Martinsville, where he flipped but was uninjured. He later won the Fall Brawl at Hickory by leading all 200 laps, giving him three wins at the track by age 14. In late 2019, DGR announced Gray would move to the ARCA Menards Series East in 2020 once he turned 15, opening his path to NASCAR-sanctioned competition.
Taylor Gray Career
Early Career (2018-2020)
Gray’s early career centered on short-track late model competition, where he built a strong reputation for speed and consistency. His partnership with Lee Faulk Racing and later DGR-Crosley allowed him to race at iconic tracks like Hickory Motor Speedway. He quickly became known for his smooth driving style and ability to lead laps, even as a teenager competing against older drivers.
When DGR transitioned him to ARCA competition in 2020, Gray adapted quickly to the heavier stock cars and longer tracks. He also returned to the CARS Series part-time that year and won the season-opener at Southern National Motorsports Park. These early results convinced DGR that Gray was ready for bigger challenges in the national NASCAR ladder.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020-2023)
Gray opened his ARCA career in 2020 with DGR in the No. 17, posting consistent results across the East, West, and main ARCA Menards Series schedules. He recorded his first ARCA West win at the NAPA/ENEOS 125 at Kern County, showing immediate speed on ovals of all sizes. The COVID-19 pandemic forced schedule changes early in the season, but he continued gaining valuable seat time once races resumed.
In 2021, Gray returned to a full ARCA East schedule and finished third in a photo finish at the New Smyrna season-opener. He was also briefly placed on probation and fined for using a phone during an official ARCA test at Daytona, a mistake he quickly moved past. He followed that effort in 2022 with his most decorated ARCA season, winning the General Tire 150 at Phoenix, the ARCA East race at Dover, the Mid-Ohio event, the Pocono race, and the ARCA West Star Nursery 150 at Las Vegas. He also won the ARCA West Portland race after another competitor was penalized. His three ARCA Menards Series wins and his five combined ARCA West wins established him as one of the top young talents in the development series.
Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2021-2024)
Gray’s NASCAR national series debut was delayed in 2021 after he suffered a fractured vertebra, foot, and ankle in a single-car accident in Statesville, North Carolina. He eventually made his Truck Series debut at Watkins Glen International, finishing 35th, and ran five total races that year. He bounced back in 2022, leading the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park race until he was spun by John Hunter Nemechek with two laps to go, a moment that cost him his first national series win.
In 2023, Gray ran his first full Truck Series season with the renamed Tricon Garage after the team moved from David Gilliland Racing to Toyota. He missed the first three races due to age restrictions but received a playoff waiver, finishing 15th in points. He announced he would return for a full 2024 schedule and made the playoffs for the first time, only to be turned by Christian Eckes at Martinsville while leading with five laps left, which kept him out of the Championship 4. He finished the 2024 Truck Series season ranked 6th in points. He also ran the 2025 Truck Series season-opener at Daytona for Tricon Garage, finishing 28th.
Joe Gibbs Racing Era (2024-Present)
On December 13, 2023, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Gray would run ten Xfinity Series races in 2024 in the No. 19 Toyota, sharing the ride with several other drivers. He made his Xfinity debut at Richmond Raceway, starting 27th and finishing an impressive third. The strong showing put him on track for a larger opportunity the following season.
On October 16, 2024, JGR announced Gray would drive the No. 54 Toyota full-time in 2025. He opened the year with a fifth-place run at Daytona, then led late at Martinsville before being spun by Sammy Smith, an incident that led to a post-race confrontation at the infield care center. Despite the setback, he won his first career Xfinity race later in 2025 at Martinsville during the playoffs, though he was eliminated in the Round of 12. On January 6, 2026, JGR confirmed Gray would return to the No. 54 for a second full season, and he has since added a win at Kansas in 2026, giving him two total O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victories.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gray is best known for his consistency on short tracks and intermediate ovals, where his smooth throttle control and patience in traffic pay off. He has shown a knack for restarts and late-race strategy, which helped him secure multiple poles and top-ten finishes during his rookie Xfinity season. Working with Joe Gibbs Racing’s crew chief group has also sharpened his feedback and his ability to adapt to changing track conditions.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2025 Martinsville playoff win stands as his first national series victory, and his 2026 Kansas win cemented his place as a winner at the Xfinity level. He also scored a runner-up result at the 2023 Truck Series race at Kansas and fought for the win at the 2024 Martinsville Truck playoff race before being turned by Christian Eckes. Earlier, his 2022 ARCA Phoenix win was a defining moment in his development, and the 2024 Xfinity debut at Richmond remains one of his most impressive performances.
Taylor Gray Career Wins
Gray has accumulated wins across the ARCA Menards Series, the ARCA Menards Series East, the ARCA Menards Series West, and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. His first national series victory came at Martinsville in 2025, and he added a second O’Reilly Series win at Kansas in 2026. Across all major stock car series, he has tallied multiple wins and dozens of top-ten finishes as a young Toyota development driver.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Gray has two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins, four poles, and 25 top-ten finishes. His first career win came at the 2025 IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 at Martinsville during the playoffs, and his most recent victory came at the 2026 Kansas Lottery 300. He finished the 2025 season seventh in the series standings, his best career result, and earned a playoff waiver after strong early-season qualifying efforts.
Other Wins and Performances
Gray has three ARCA Menards Series wins, including Phoenix and Pocono in 2022, and he added a third the following season. In the ARCA Menards Series West, he recorded five wins across the 2020 and 2022 seasons, and he won once in the ARCA Menards Series East at Dover in 2022. In the Craftsman Truck Series, he has zero wins but 22 top-ten finishes, with a best points result of sixth in 2024.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 2 | 25 | 4 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 3 | 36 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 1 | 16 | 2 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 5 | 10 | 2 |
Taylor Gray Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gray comes from one of the most recognized racing families in the country. His father, Shane Gray, is an NHRA driver, and his grandfather, Johnny Gray, was a Funny Car driver who also served as president of Marbob Energy. Johnny Gray has co-owned Tricon Garage since 2021, linking the family business directly to Taylor’s NASCAR career.
His older brother, Tanner Gray, also races for Tricon Garage in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Tundra. The two brothers have worked with the same team structure at different points, giving Taylor a strong support system both on and off the track.
Personal Life
Gray was born and raised in Artesia, New Mexico, and continues to be based in the United States as a full-time racer. Outside of racing, he enjoys wakeboarding as a hobby, a sport that helps him stay active during the long NASCAR season. He maintains an active presence on social media, where fans follow his development through Joe Gibbs Racing.
2025 Season Performance
Gray’s 2025 season marked his first full-time campaign in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and he delivered one of the strongest rookie showings in the field. Driving the No. 54 Toyota GR Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, he opened the year with a fifth-place run at Daytona and quickly became a regular threat near the front of the pack on short tracks and intermediates. He earned multiple poles throughout the year, which reflected his qualifying speed.
His defining moment came during the playoffs at Martinsville, where he scored his first career national series victory. He was eliminated in the Round of 12, but the win locked in his place as an emerging winner on the Xfinity tour. He finished the 2025 season seventh in the final standings, the best result of his career to that point.
Heading into 2026, JGR has retained Gray for a second full season, signaling continued confidence in his development. With a Martinsville win already on his resume and another victory at Kansas in early 2026, Gray has positioned himself as a long-term contender in the Toyota development pipeline.
