Gaunt Brothers Racing was a Canadian professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gaunt Brothers Racing also competed in the Pinty's Series and the K&N Pro Series. The team was owned by Marty Gaunt, president and CEO of Triad Racing Technologies; GBR originally used engines from Triad before moving to Toyota Racing Development motors in alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.[1]
 | |
| Owner(s) | Marty Gaunt |
|---|---|
| Base | Mooresville, North Carolina |
| Series | NASCAR Cup Series |
| Race drivers | 96. |
| Sponsors | 96. |
| Manufacturer | Toyota |
| Opened | 2010 |
| Closed | 2021 |
| Career | |
| Debut | NASCAR Cup Series: 2017 Daytona 500 (Daytona) Pinty's Series: 2010 Keystone Light 200 (Delaware) |
| Latest race | NASCAR Cup Series: 2021 Hollywood Casino 400 (Kansas) Pinty's Series: 2011 NAPA Autopro 100 (Montreal) |
| Races competed | Total: 94 NASCAR Cup Series: 81 Camping World Truck Series: 1 Pinty's Series: 12 |
| Drivers' Championships | Total: 0 NASCAR Cup Series: 0 Pinty's Series: 0 |
| Race victories | Total: 0 NASCAR Cup Series: 0 Pinty's Series: 0 |
| Pole positions | Total: 1 NASCAR Cup Series: 0 Pinty's Series: 1 |
NASCAR Cup Series
editCar No. 96 history
edit
On January 18, 2017, Gaunt Brothers Racing declared their plans to attempt the 2017 Daytona 500 with Canadian driver D. J. Kennington behind the wheel of the No. 96 Toyota Camry. The team was fielded in a partnership with RAB Racing. They plan to attempt all four superspeedway events in 2017.[2] Kennington made the 59th annual Daytona 500, by passing Elliott Sadler at Cam-Am Duel 2. The team failed to finish the race after being involved in a crash just past halfway. The team returned to Talladega where they used ThorSport Racing's No. 98 hauler. The team failed to qualify. They didn't return to Daytona in July because Kennington joined Premium Motorsports, leaving the team without a driver.
However, the team, with Kennington, returned to Daytona in an attempt to qualify for a second straight 500 in 2018, guaranteed after only 40 showed up to try to get in the race. The team entered the spring ISM Raceway race, which would be their first appearance on a non-restrictor track, qualifying 34th. Parker Kligerman joined GBR for the Coca-Cola 600, his first Cup race since 2014.[3] Jeffrey Earnhardt joined the team in August 2018 for 14 of the final 16 races. Jesse Little was announced to drive at the August Bristol night race. Earnhardt and GBR parted ways before the Martinsville race. He was replaced by Kennington at Martinsville and Kligerman at Texas.
Kligerman returned to the team in an attempt to qualify the Daytona 500 and drove the majority of the races during the 2019 NASCAR season that featured Gaunt Bros. Racing. Drew Herring came on board to drive the season finale at Homestead for the team.
On January 17, 2020, Kligerman announced that he has no plans to return to the No. 96 or in any of NASCAR's three national series.[4] On January 28, Daniel Suárez officially signed with Gaunt Brothers Racing to race the No. 96 full-time in 2020.[5] Despite Suárez's eligibility, the team did not participate in the 2020 Busch Clash to focus on the 2020 Daytona 500.[6] The move came as GBR had a total of three chassis in the shop, some dating back to 2012 as Michael Waltrip Racing originals.[7][8] Suárez failed to make the Daytona 500 after finishing 22nd in Duel 1 of the 2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels when he collided with Ryan Blaney in turn 4.[9] On September 15, Gaunt Brothers Racing and Suárez announced that they would be parting ways in 2021.[10]
On January 19, 2021, it was announced that Ty Dillon would replace Daniel Suarez for the 2021 season. Despite finishing sixth in the first Duel of the 2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duels, Dillon missed the 2021 Daytona 500.[11] On April 15, 2021, it was announced that Harrison Burton would make his Cup Series debut at Talladega. In this race, Burton would become the first driver born in the 2000s decade to run a Cup Series race.[12] Landon Cassill would then drive the #96 for the next two Superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega respectively finishing in 36th at Daytona and then 24th at Talladega. Parker Kligerman then would return to the team at Kansas giving the team its best run of the season with a 20th-place finish.
The team quietly ceased operations after the 2021 season.
Car No. 96 results
editCamping World Truck Series
editTruck No. 96 history
editIn August 2017, GBR and Kennington reunited to run the Truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, where Kennington drove the No. 96.[13]
Truck No. 96 results
edit| Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | NCWTC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | D. J. Kennington | 96 | Toyota | DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | IOW | KEN | ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP 14 |
CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM |
Pinty's Series
editCar No. 11 history
editThe team announced its Pinty's Series involvement in May 2010, initially setting John Gaunt as driver of the No. 11 entry.[14] Gaunt started seven of the twelve events in the series that year.[15] In 2011, Jason Bowles joined the team for two races, winning the pole in one.[16]
K&N Pro Series East
edit| NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | NKNPSEC | Pts | Ref | ||
| 2011 | Jason Bowles | 75 | Toyota | GRE | SBO | RCH 6 |
IOW | BGS | JFC | LGY | NHA | COL | GRE | NHA | DOV | 53rd | 150 | [17] | ||
References
edit- ^ Long, Dustin (August 4, 2018). "Gaunt Brothers Racing expanding its schedule". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
- ^ "GAUNT BROTHERS RACING SETS '17 SCHEDULE; KENNINGTON TO COMPETE AT DAYTONA". NASCAR. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
- ^ DeGroot, Nick (May 10, 2018). "Parker Kligerman to run Coke 600 at Charlotte with Gaunt Brothers". Motorsport.com. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
- ^ Long, Dustin (January 22, 2020). "Parker Kligerman will not return to No. 96 Cup car". NBC Sports. NBC.
- ^ "Gaunt Brothers Racing signs Daniel Suarez for 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- ^ "Daniel Suarez joins Gaunt Brothers Racing". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 28, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ Smith, David (September 10, 2020). "RPM Owner, Long Interested In Improving NASCAR's Diversity, Eyes Replacements For Bubba Wallace". Forbes. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ Albino, Dustin (September 13, 2020). "Daniel Suarez Mentality Changed With Gaunt Brothers Racing". Frontstretch. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
- ^ "Daniel Suarez's hopes for Daytona 500 dashed after Duel crash". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
- ^ "Daniel Suarez, Gaunt Brothers to part ways after season". NASCAR Talk. NBC Sports. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
- ^ "Ty Dillon Narrowly Misses Out on Qualifying Into Daytona 500". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
- ^ Albert, Zack (April 15, 2021). "Gaunt Brothers Racing taps Harrison Burton for Cup Series debut at Talladega". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
- ^ Wilson, Steven B. (August 28, 2017). "Gaunt Brothers Racing, DJ Kennington to Compete in NASCAR Truck Race". Speedway Digest. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ^ "GBR Joins Canadian Tire Series | NASCAR Home Tracks". hometracks.nascar.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
- ^ "John Gaunt 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
- ^ "Jason Bowles 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
- ^ "Jason Bowles – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
External links
edit- Official website
- Gaunt Brothers Racing owner statistics at Racing-Reference