TRICON Garage has made a major move for the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season. The rebranded team has inked an expanded partnership with Dead On Tools.
Dead On Tools and TRICON Garage announced the news on November 22. They noted that the tool and work gear manufacturer will become an anchor partner of both the No. 15 of Tanner Gray and the No. 17 of Taylor Gray. Dead On Tools will be the primary partner for 15 events and an associate partner for the remaining races.
“2023 is going to be an exciting year of change for our team and myself,” Tanner Gray said in a press release. “I’m thankful for Brian [Ranallo] and the entire Dead On Tools family for continuing their partnership with us, and I hope we can capture my first win together.”
The release confirmed the number of races featuring a Dead On Tools scheme, but it did not reveal the locations. That information will be provided by the team at a later date.
The Extension Follows a Major Change in the Building
The 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season will be significantly different for TRICON Garage. The organization ran under the name David Gilliland Racing from 2018 through 2022.
The first two seasons featured DGR partnering with Toyota Racing. The final three featured the team working with Ford Performance. The team celebrated a total of four wins during this era — one with Tyler Ankrum, two with Ryan Preece, and one with Todd Gilliland.
The situation changed after the 2022 season. DGR partnered with Toyota Racing to replace Kyle Busch Motorsports as the main Truck Series pipeline for developmental drivers, and it changed its name to TRICON Garage.
Both Tanner Gray and Taylor Gray agreed to return to the organization for the switch while former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Corey Heim agreed to join while remaining in the Toyota pipeline.
Dead On Tools Has Remained Involved in NASCAR
The expanded partnership between Dead On Tools and TRICON Garage continues the company’s involvement in NASCAR. The tool and work gear manufacturer has had a presence in multiple series and with multiple teams.
One example is the Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 15. Taylor Gray had Dead On Tools as his primary partner as he made his seventh start of the season.
Dead On Tools’ involvement has continued with sponsorship of multiple races. The cutoff race at Martinsville Speedway on October 29 was the Dead On Tools 250 — marking the second consecutive year in a row — while the Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway on May 6 was the Dead On Tools 200.
The elimination race at Martinsville Speedway also featured Anthony Alfredo driving the No. 23 Dead On Tools Chevrolet Camaro. He joined Brett Moffitt on the list of Xfinity Series drivers that have represented the company during pivotal places.
The Gray brothers will now continue this tradition during the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season. Taylor, in particular, will work with Dead On Tools as he turns 18 and takes on a nearly full schedule.
“I’m eager to tackle the Truck Series full-time next season after my 18th birthday. It’s going to be a major challenge, but one that I am certainly ready for,” Taylor said in a press release. “Our team strives every day to improve, and it’s a privilege to have a partner like Dead On Tools who believe in what we are building and want to grow together.”
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