Getty Sam Hunt Racing will feature 2 main drivers in 2023.
Sam Hunt Racing has made some big moves for the 2023 Xfinity Series season. The team has expanded to two full-time entries and named two of its drivers.
SHR announced the news on December 8 ahead of its scheduled press conference. The Xfinity Series team said that Kaz Grala will take over the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for the full, 33-race schedule. Connor Mosack will drive the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for 20 races, starting with the trip to Phoenix.
Sam Hunt Racing, party of two ✌️
We’re excited to announce that we’re fielding two full-time cars in 2023!
@kazgrala will pilot our No. 26 Toyota GR Supra full-time with teammate @connormosack wheeling the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for 20 races starting at @phoenixraceway 💥
“Timing and patience have been pivotal components of our growth process at SHR. Expanding to two full-time teams in 2023 brings an excitement level only matched by the responsibility and expectation to compete at a high level every week,” said team owner Sam Hunt. “It goes without saying that having a full-time driver in the No. 26 for the first time is a blessing to our organization and an important component of our growth.”
Grala will take on the full season while working with returning crew chief Allen Hart. The former JR Motorsports engineer joined SHR ahead of the 2022 season, and he helped guide multiple drivers to top-10 finishes.
Mosack will join forces with a new addition to the team. Kris Bowen will move to SHR after previously working at Our Motorsports on the No. 02 team that featured Brett Moffitt, Blaine Perkins, and Parker Retzlaff.
Grala Has a Big Opportunity Ahead of Him
GettySam Hunt Racing has featured numerous drivers in 2022.
The 2023 season will mark a significant change for Grala. He has never competed full-time in the Xfinity Series. Though he has 44 career starts to his name with a variety of teams.
Grala’s most expansive Xfinity Series schedule took place in 2018. He made 22 starts split between Fury Race Cars and JGL Racing, and he secured five top-10 finishes and two top-fives.
Here it is. I’ve been working towards competing full time for years, and thanks to @Team_SHR26 and @ToyotaRacing, that day has come. I’ll be racing for a championship in 2023 as the driver of the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra. I can get used to that.
Grala has since spent the past four seasons making limited starts across the three national series. He has driven for Richard Childress Racing, Alpha Prime Racing, Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, Jordan Anderson Racing, Big Machine Racing, Kaulig Racing, and TMT Racing among others.
Grala will now focus on the Xfinity Series schedule while driving for Sam Hunt Racing. He will pursue stage wins, race wins, playoff points, and the championship while controlling the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra.
Mosack Will Anchor the No. 24 Team
GettyConnor Mosack (front) races at Watkins Glen International.
While Grala will compete full-time in the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra, Mosack will only make a set number of starts in the No. 24. He will be the anchor for the star car.
SHR has featured a variety of drivers since the team’s debut in 2019. Mosack is on the expansive list as he took over the No. 26 for a race at Watkins Glen International in 2022. He finished 15th and was on the lead lap in what was only his second career Xfinity Series start.
There will be other drivers that join Mosack in the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra. However, SHR will not reveal this information until a later date. Similarly, the team will not unveil Mosack’s entire schedule just yet.
“Kaz is a highly talented and experienced driver and has strived for an opportunity like this for a long time,” Hunt added. “Having Connor anchor the No. 24 team is something we are also really looking forward to. He is a very talented young man and has every trait and characteristic I look for in a young driver. We’re heading into 2023 with confidence in both teams and drivers, and I’m excited to continue to build this program with each of them.”