NASCAR: Joe Gibbs Racing make final call on #18 Toyota
By Asher Fair
Joe Gibbs Racing have confirmed a ninth different driver for the #18 Toyota, securing the car’s lineup for the remainder of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
The driver lineup for Joe Gibbs Racing’s #18 Toyota, also known as the “star car”, is officially solidified for the remainder of the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
That process was completed by the confirmation of its driver for this coming Saturday afternoon’s playoff race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Road course ace James Davison got the nod to compete in this 67-lap Drive for the Cure 250 at the 17-turn, 2.28-mile (3.669-kilometer) Concord, North Carolina track.
Davison is set to become the ninth driver to pilot the #18 Toyota in the 33-race season’s first 29 races.
NEWS: @_J_Davison is bringing flower power to the Charlotte ROVAL with @RichMarFlorist 🌺 pic.twitter.com/24p1tLoJ93
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) October 4, 2022
The 36-year-old Australian had competed in NASCAR off and on for the last several years, but he hasn’t made any starts since last year when he competed part-time in the Cup Series for Rick Ware Racing and made another start for MBM Motorsports.
In 2017 and 2018, he competed in three races for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series. He finished in fourth place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2017 before crashing out at Road America following a front row start. In 2018, he finished in eighth at Road America.
His most recent Xfinity Series appearance came last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Driving for B.J. McLeod Motorsports, he finished in 18th place.
As for the #18 Toyota, the rest of its schedule for the 2022 season beyond this weekend had already been solidified.
Trevor Bayne, who has made seven starts in the car already this year, is set to drive it in the next two races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, while Sammy Smith, who has also made seven starts in the car this year, is set to drive it in the season’s final two races at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
Ryan Truex drove the car in five races earlier this season while John Hunter Nemechek drove it in three, Drew Dollar and Bubba Wallace each drove it in two, and Connor Mosack and Christopher Bell each drove it in one.
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Begin a free trial of FuboTV and don’t miss Saturday’s race! NBC is set to broadcast the Drive for the Cure 250 from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET.