David Gilliland Racing Announces Teams Plan in 2021

David Gilliland Racing (DGR) officially announced today its driver and crew chief lineup for 2021. The team will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), ARCA Menards Series (ARCA) and the CARS Late Model Stock Tour with support from Ford Performance.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Tanner Gray will return to the No. 15 Ford Performance F-150 in 2021 for a full-time effort. Gray enters 2021 after a strong rookie season where he earned four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He will once again be paired with veteran crew chief Shane Wilson who has a proven track record of success across all three NASCAR national series. The duo will look to better their 14th-place result in the point standings from one season ago. 

Gray will be joined full-time by Hailie Deegan who will be piloting the No. 1 Ford F-150 with primary sponsorship from Monster Energy and Toter in her rookie season. Deegan captured the ARCA Bounty Rookie of the Year and finished third in the championship standings in 2020 with four top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. Mike Hillman Jr. will serve as crew chief. Hillman has 23 wins, 119 top-fives, 177 top-10s and two championships in the NCWTS. 

Taylor Gray will compete in seven NCWTS events in the No. 17 Ford F-150 beginning at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on April 17. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series winning crew chief Chad Johnston will handle the crew chief duties for Gray in all seven events.

The NCWTS season will kick off on Feb. 12 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.

ARCA Menards Series

In addition to his NCWTS schedule, 15-year-old Taylor Gray will return to the seat of the No. 17 Ford Performance Fusion for 2021. He will compete full-time in both the ARCA East and Sioux Chief Showdown Series with Chad Johnston atop the pit box. The younger Gray captured his first career win in ARCA West action at Kern County (Calif.) Raceway Park last season.

Thad Moffitt also returns to DGR and the No. 46 Ford Fusion for at least 11 ARCA Menards Series races after earning three top-five and eight top-10 finishes last season. Joining Taylor Gray and Moffitt, Joey Iest will take the wheel of the No. 54 Ford Fusion for six races in ARCA East. Derek Smith will crew chief both the Nos. 46 and 54 entries. 

Gray and Iest will make their season debuts at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway on Feb. 8, while Moffitt will debut at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on Feb. 13.

CARS Late Model Stock Tour

Joe Valento has signed with DGR to compete in the full 13-race CARS Late Model Stock Tour in 2021. Valento will work with former NASCAR and late model driver Clay Rogers who will serve as the crew chief. The pair will debut at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway on March 6.

— David Gilliand Racing —