Gaunt Brothers Racing was a Canadian professional
stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately . It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It ori ...
team that competes in the
NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...
. Gaunt Brothers Racing also competes in the
Pinty's Series
The NASCAR Pinty's Series (french: Série NASCAR Pinty's), commonly abbreviated as NPS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada, and is a continuation of the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.
History
In September 2006 NASCAR ...
and the
K&N Pro Series. The team is owned by Marty Gaunt, president and CEO of
Triad Racing Technologies
Triad Racing Technologies is a body parts and chassis supplier for NASCAR teams that runs under the Toyota manufacturer. The company was originally formed as Triad Racing Development before it was merged in late 2008 with Bill Davis Racing by M ...
; GBR originally used engines from Triad before moving to
Toyota Racing Development
Toyota Racing Development (also known by its abbreviation TRD) is the in-house tuning shop for all Toyota, Lexus and formerly Scion cars. ''TRD'' is responsible both for improving street cars for more performance and supporting Toyota's racing ...
motors in alliance with
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization owned and operated by former Washington Redskins (today the Washington Commanders) coach Joe Gibbs, which first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. His s ...
.
NASCAR Cup Series
Car No. 96 history
![The No](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/The_No._96_of_DJ_Kennington_being_pushed_through_the_garage_area_at_Daytona_International_Speedway.jpg)
On January 18, 2017, Gaunt Brothers Racing declared their plans to attempt the
2017 Daytona 500
The 2017 Daytona 500, the 59th running of the event, was held on February 26, 2017, and was won by Kurt Busch of Stewart-Haas Racing after Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson ran out of fuel over the final laps of the race. This was Busch's first Dayto ...
with Canadian driver
D. J. Kennington behind the wheel of the No. 96
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ ''Toyota Kamuri'') is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry ...
. The team was fielded in a partnership with
RAB Racing
RAB Racing with Brack Maggard was an American professional stock car racing team that attempted NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series. The team was co-owned by Robert A. Benton Sr. and his ...
. They plan to attempt all four superspeedway events in 2017. Kennington made the 59th annual Daytona 500, by passing
Elliott Sadler
Elliott William Barnes Sadler (born April 30, 1975) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing. Sadler is one of 36 dr ...
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
ThorSport Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team was founded in 1996 as SealMaster Racing and is based in Sandusky, Ohio. Owned by Duke Thorson and his wife ...
's No. 98 hauler. The team failed to qualify. They didn't return to Daytona in July because Kennington joined
Premium Motorsports
Premium Motorsports (formerly Jay Robinson Racing) was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team last fielded the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 LE full-time for Brennan Poole, and the No. 27 Cam ...
, leaving the team without a driver.
![Parker Kligerman 96 Sonoma 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Parker_Kligerman_96_Sonoma_2018.jpg)
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
Parker L. Kligerman (born August 8, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for Big Machine Racing. Kligerman is a former development driver ...
joined GBR for the
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the first on ...
, his first Cup race since 2014.
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, gran ...
joined the team in August 2018 for 14 of the final 16 races.
Jesse Little
Jesse Hardin Little (born April 15, 1997) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 34 Chevrolet Camaro for Jesse Iwuji Motorsports and part-time in the ...
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
Andrew Herring (born May 5, 1987) is an American professional stock car racing driver, test driver, and spotter. He works for Toyota Racing Development and Joe Gibbs Racing as a test driver, and is also the spotter for Martin Truex Jr. and JGR's N ...
came on board to drive the season finale at Homestead for the team.
![Daniel suarez (50265178462)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Daniel_suarez_%2850265178462%29.jpg)
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. On January 28,
Daniel Suárez
Daniel Alejandro Suárez Garza (born January 7, 1992) is a Mexican professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing Team. He previously drove in t ...
officially signed with Gaunt Brothers Racing to race the No. 96 full-time in 2020. Despite Suárez's eligibility, the team did not participate in the
2020 Busch Clash to focus on the
2020 Daytona 500
The 2020 Daytona 500, the 62nd running of the Daytona 500, event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on February 16–17, 2020. It was contested over 209 laps—extended from 200 laps due to an green-white-checker finish, overtime finish, on the a ...
. The move came as GBR had a total of three chassis in the shop, some dating back to 2012 as
Michael Waltrip Racing
Michael Waltrip Racing Holdings LLC, doing business as Michael Waltrip Racing ("MWR"), was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The company was as a 50–50 partnership betwe ...
originals. Suárez failed to make the Daytona 500 after finishing 22nd in Duel 1 of the
2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels
The 2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels were a pair of NASCAR Cup Series stock car races held on February 13, 2020, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Both contested over 60 laps, they were the qualifying races for the 2020 ...
when he collided with
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Michael Blaney (born December 31, 1993) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Dave Blaney ...
in turn 4. On September 15, Gaunt Brothers Racing and Suárez announced that they would be parting ways in 2021.
On January 19, 2021, it was announced that
Ty Dillon
Tyler Reed Dillon (born February 27, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports. He has also competed in the NASCAR Ca ...
would replace Daniel Suarez for the 2021 season. Despite finishing sixth in the first Duel of the
2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duels
The 2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duels were a pair of NASCAR Cup Series stock car races held on February 11, 2021, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Both contested over 60 laps, they were the qualifying races for the 2021 ...
, Dillon missed the
2021 Daytona 500
The 2021 Daytona 500, the 63rd running of the event, was a NASCAR Cup Series race that was held on February 14–15, 2021 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Contested over 200 laps on the asphalt superspeedway, it was th ...
. On April 15, 2021, it was announced that
Harrison Burton
Harrison Brian Burton (born October 9, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing.
Racing career Early years
Burton's racing ...
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.
Landon Cassill
Landon Douglas Cassill (born July 7, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing.
Early career
Cassill was born in Cedar Rapi ...
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
Parker L. Kligerman (born August 8, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for Big Machine Racing. Kligerman is a former development driver ...
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
Camping World Truck Series
Truck No. 96 history
In August 2017, GBR and Kennington reunited to run the Truck race at
Canadian Tire Motorsports Park
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport Park and Mosport International Raceway) is a multi-track motorsport venue located north of Bowmanville, in Ontario, Canada, east of Toronto. The facility features a , 10-turn road course; a adva ...
, where Kennington drove the No. 96.
Pinty's Series
Car No. 11 history
The team announced its
Pinty's Series
The NASCAR Pinty's Series (french: Série NASCAR Pinty's), commonly abbreviated as NPS, is a national NASCAR racing series in Canada, and is a continuation of the old CASCAR Super Series which was founded in 1981.
History
In September 2006 NASCAR ...
involvement in May 2010, initially setting John Gaunt as driver of the No. 11 entry. Gaunt started seven of the twelve events in the series that year. In 2011,
Jason Bowles
Jason Bowles (born November 24, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2009.
Racing career Early career
He made his NASCAR West Series debut in the No. 22 Sunrise Ford/Tur ...
joined the team for two races, winning the pole in one.
References
External links
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{{Toyota in NASCAR
NASCAR teams