NASCAR Truck Series: Brett Moffitt to drive for GMS Racing in 2019
By Asher Fair
Reigning NASCAR Truck Series champion Brett Moffitt is set to replace Johnny Sauter at GMS Racing in the 2019 Truck Series season.
Just one day after GMS Racing announced that Johnny Sauter will not be returning to the team in the 2019 NASCAR Truck Series season for what would have been his fourth season driving the #21 Chevrolet, they have announced that 2018 Truck Series champion Brett Moffitt drive for the team instead.
Moffitt, however, is officially set to drive the #24 Chevrolet, which was driven by Justin Haley in the 2018 season. Haley is set to drive the #11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet in the 2019 Xfinity Series as the replacement for Ryan Truex.
While GMS Racing did not officially confirm this news until earlier this morning, Sauter himself revealed that it was likely that Moffitt would be named his replacement shortly after it was confirmed that he and GMS Racing had cut ties.
Here is what Moffitt had to say about the opportunity to drive for GMS Racing in the 2019 season, according to NASCAR.
"“I’m excited to be given the chance to defend my 2018 championship. I have to thank the Gallagher family and everyone at GMS for this opportunity. I can’t wait to start working with Jerry and the guys to kick off the season at Daytona in a few weeks.”"
Moffitt drove for Hattori Racing Enterprises in the 2018 season, which was his first season as a full-time driver in the Truck Series. However, lack of funding nearly prevented him from competing in all 23 races on the 2018 schedule, and it prevented him from returning to the team as the driver of the #16 Toyota for the 2019 season. Austin Hill is set to be his replacement.
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In 36 career Truck Series starts, Moffitt has recorded seven victories, 16 top five finishes and 19 top 10 finishes. He has led 272 of the 4,925 laps that he has completed, and his has recorded an average career starting position of 11.4 and an average career finishing position of 10.0.
In his championship-winning 2018 season alone, Moffitt competed in 23 races. He won six of them and finished in the top five in seven others. All 13 of his top 10 finishes were top five finishes, and he led 269 of the 3,348 laps that he completed. His average starting position was 11.7 and his average finishing position was 8.9.
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How will Brett Moffitt perform in his first season driving for GMS Racing? Will he successfully defend his championship? The NextEra Energy 250 is scheduled to get the 2019 NASCAR Truck Series season underway, and it is scheduled to do so on Friday, February 15 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Be sure tune in to this race and be sure to tune in to the other 22 races on the 2019 schedule.