NASCAR: GMS Racing’s addition is even better than it seems

Grant Enfinger is set to drive the full 2022 and 2023 NASCAR Truck Series seasons behind the wheel of the #23 Chevrolet for GMS Racing.

GMS Racing recently announced that Grant Enfinger will drive the #23 Chevrolet Silverado for the full 2022 and 2023 NASCAR Truck Series seasons.

Enfinger has a previous relationship with GMS Racing, winning the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship with the team. He also drove in seven Truck Series races for them in 2016 and collected his first career win at Talladega Superspeedway.

Enfinger and GMS Racing are set to compete for wins and championships over the next two years.

Enfinger is set to join GMS Racing from ThorSport Racing, where he has driven since 2017. He ran full-time with them for four seasons and won five races, including four in 2020 when he reached the Championship 4 for the first time.

The 36-year-old Fairhope, Alabama native was forced to run part-time behind the wheel of the #98 Toyota this season to accommodate the team’s addition of Christian Eckes.

To gain seat time, Enfinger has driven most of the other Truck Series races with Codie Rohrbaugh’s CR7 Motorsports behind the wheel of the #9 Chevrolet.

Despite missing a race, Enfinger sits in 11th place in the championship standings, highest among the non-playoff drivers. Examining the results, he would have made the playoffs had he been eligible.

Among the series’ full-time drivers, Grant Enfinger ranks sixth in average finish, top five finishes (tied), and top 10 finishes (tied), all impressive marks considering the fact that he has run for two different teams and even missed a race.

The agreement for 2022 and 2023 is a great deal for both Enfinger and GMS Racing.

Enfinger earns the stability of a full-time ride and a multi-year deal. He again will have an opportunity to compete for a championship. Based on this season’s results, he is still at the top of his game and is worthy of a full-time ride in the Truck Series.

For GMS Racing, they add a solid veteran driver to their stable, one which has featured  young and inexperienced drivers. In 2021, their oldest driver is 24-year-old reigning champion Sheldon Creed, who will be leaving for the Xfinity Series to drive for Richard Childress Racing after the 2021 season concludes.

Enfinger is an experienced driver who can lead the team and serve in a mentorship role for their young drivers. Additionally, he brings with him some much-needed funding from Champion Power Equipment, which will serve as the primary sponsor of the #23 Chevrolet.

He is a driver who can win, and he runs consistently in the top 10, generally keeping his truck clean. GMS Racing will benefit from having this type of driver, a kind of driver that has been missing this season after Brett Moffitt left.

So look for Grant Enfinger and his #23 GMS Racing team to be among the best in the NASCAR Truck Series for the next two seasons.