Joe Gbbs Racing gas announced that Taylor Gray will be returning to the number 54 car next season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The winningest crew chief in O’Reilly Series history, Jason Ratcliff continuing to serve as Crew Chief.
Speaking with NASCAR.com on his decision to return to the 54 car Gray said, “I get to work with the same group of guys for three years consecutively, which I’ve never had in my career. I’ve never had the stability of working with the same group of guys, top to bottom, for that many years in a row. I’m excited to be able to build off what we’ve built so far and continue that relationship with Jason and continue to get better.”
Gray added, “a big thing for me was Jason wanting to do it again. I feel like Jason and I have built something really good over the last few years, and I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business with Jason and I with the performances we’ve had.”
He concluded, “we get to this year, and we get halfway through the year, and I sat down with Jason and said, ‘Where are you? What do you think?’ It was a little tougher to commit right away to do it right away because he has grandchildren. He is trying to balance that life of being a grandpa, being a husband and father, all while trying to be my dad at the same time and work with me and crew-chief me.”
Ratcliff’s resume includes working with Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, and Ty Gibbs.
Since teaming up with Ratcliff last year, Taylor Gray has won two races. But JGR’s Steve deSouza notes that they do see progress in Gray’s racing.
In 2025, Taylor Gray made the move from the Craftsman Truck Series to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Gray noted, “I feel like I’m at the top of my game that I’ve ever been in my career and am continuing to get better each week. The finishes don’t reflect what we’ve built on and what we have as a group on the 54 car this year.”
Just three more races remain in the regular season before the playoffs begin. Gray is on the cut line.
Speaking on the run for The Chase, Gray said, “I wouldn’t say I’m as stressed out as the normal person would probably be. I understand what we have to go do. We have so much speed and are capable of doing so much, especially with these next two races coming up at Indy and Iowa are really good race tracks, that I’m not really worried about it.”