A new team will join the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the 2022 season. Joey Gase, a veteran with nearly 350 starts across all three national series, has announced the creation of his own team, Joey Gase Racing.
The 28-year-old broke the news on Thursday, November 18, with a press release. He revealed that he had driven a car that he owned for two of his Xfinity Series starts during the 2021 season, including the Talladega Superspeedway playoff race where he finished 15th overall in the No. 52 Ford.
Gase added in the press release that his team currently has five cars. JGR bought the remaining equipment and cars of H2 Motorsports from Shane Lee. The team plans to run full-time during the 2022 season with Rick Bourgeois as the general manager.
🚨🚨🚨HUGE ANNONCEMENT! Joey Gase to drive for JGR in the @NASCAR_Xfinity Series in 2022! Read more below!!
“I am extremely excited to start a new chapter in my career and life,” Gase said in a statement. “To not only be a driver, but also a team owner, this is something I have been thinking about a lot the last few years. When I asked other team owners and mentors I expected to get a lot of push back saying not to, but to my surprise I got a lot of the opposite. I have learned a lot the past 10 years and have worked with a lot of great people from Jimmy Means, Bobby Dotter, Carl Long, Archie St. Hilaire and Rick Ware. They have all taught me a ton and have helped me every step of the way. It is not going to be easy by any means but I have a big support team behind me with my family and friends.”
Gase will drive the No. 35 entry for most of the season, but he will also seek qualified drivers to join. He will reveal sponsor and manufacturer information at a later date.
Gase Primarily Competed in Cup During the 2021 Season
GettyJoey Gase races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Gase made five starts in the Xfinity Series during the 2021 season, including two with his own cars, but he primarily focused on the NASCAR Cup Series. He made 16 starts for Rick Ware Racing while driving the No. 15 entry.
Gase posted an average finish of 32.3 during the 2021 Cup Series season, along with a season-best finish of 20th in the Daytona 500. He added a 25th-place finish in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
While he performed the best at the superspeedway while driving for RWR, Gase also posted four DNFs during the 2021 season. This includes a crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on September 26th that send him to the hospital.
The incident occurred on Lap 92. Gase spun after the left rear tire came off of the No. 15. He slammed into the outside wall at full speed, launching the stock car into the air. The destroyed vehicle slid down the track and collided with the inside wall as the safety crew rushed to check on Gase. He was ultimately able to walk to the ambulance under his own power.
Gase Made His Xfinity Series Debut at the Age of 18
The 28-year-old first made his Xfinity Series debut during the 2011 season at the age of 18. He first suited up for a race at Iowa Speedway and posted a 20th-place finish. He then made four other starts in the No. 39 Ford, finishing top-30 in each of them.
Gase continued to make part-time starts in the Xfinity Series until 2014 when he began competing on a full-time basis for Jimmy Means Racing. He remained with the team until the end of the 2017 season and posted three top-10 finishes and one top-five — a fifth-place run at Talladega Superspeedway in 2015.
Gase finished out his full-time Xfinity Series career with one season at Go Fas Racing (2018) and one at Carl Long Motorsports (2019). His best runs were 15th-place finishes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Kansas Speedway while driving for Go Fas Racing. Now Gase will strive to surpass these marks in 2022 when he drives for his own team.
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Joey Gase Starts His Own NASCAR Team