A pair of NASCAR Xfinity Series teams made driver additions on Thursday, with Mike Harmon Racing signing Brennan Poole for Saturday’s race at Auto Club Speedway while Joe Gibbs Racing will have Ryan Truex at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (5 March), Martinsville Speedway (8 April), Darlington Raceway (7 May), and Texas Motor Speedway (21 May).
Poole last raced in the Xfinity Series from 2015 to 2017 for Chip Ganassi Racing, including full-time in the final two seasons. He finished in the top ten in points in both and contentiously lost a win at the 2016 Talladega event when NASCAR ruled Elliott Sadler had been the leader at the moment of a caution coming to the finish, despite Poole being the first to cross the line. Despite otherwise solid performances even without a victory, he was released by CGR after 2017, a matter that was marred by further controversy regarding the team moving his sponsor DC Solar to its Cup programme, resulting in a lawsuit that was eventually settled after the company was shut down following federal investigation.
After two seasons of sporadic Camping World Truck Series competition, he ran the full 2020 Cup schedule for Premium Motorsports. He finished thirty-second in points with a top ten at Talladega in the fall. Premium was bought out by Rick Ware Racing in 2021 and he did not remain with the team. He did not race much in NASCAR in 2021 after breaking his wrist in a snowboarding crash, but returned to the Trucks for a one-off at Texas for On Point Motorsports, finishing fourteenth.
He will drive the #47 Chevrolet Camaro for MHR. The car was piloted by Gray Gaulding at Daytona last week, but failed to qualify.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity MHR has given me to get back on track this weekend @AutoClubSpdwy,” tweeted Poole. “I look forward to getting back behind the wheel and having my family at the track with me after the unexpected passing of my mom February 9th. She was the best mom.”
Truex joins JGR’s #18 Toyota GR Supra, a car that will be split between multiple drivers including Drew Dollar and Trevor Bayne. It is his second stint at JGR after running thirteen races for the team in 2011 and 2012, during which he scored eight top tens and a runner-up finish from the pole at Dover in 2012.
He finished twelfth at Daytona in the first race of a part-time schedule for JGR ally Sam Hunt Racing. In 2021, Truex ran the full Truck season for Niece Motorsports where he placed sixteenth in points.
“I’m honoured to compete in the No. 18 Toyota GR Supra with Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season,” Truex said. “Having the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing entry is an absolute dream come true. Even better, Toyota is sponsoring my inaugural race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend. I can’t thank them and Joe Gibbs Racing enough for making this happen.”
Truex has competed in the Xfinity Series since 2010, with his lone full-time campaign coming in 2018 for Kaulig Racing. He finished twelfth in that year’s standings.