Joe Graf Jr. joins Joe Gibbs Racing for 5 Xfinity starts

Joe Graf Jr. will indeed race full-time in the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series. Five days after announcing he would run twenty-eight of thirty-three races for RSS Racing, he signed a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the #19 Toyota GR Supra in the five remaining events.

“Joe is committed to success, which is something we are looking for in all of our drivers,” commented Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President of JGR’s Xfinity programme. “We are anticipating a solid season from the #19 team and Joe’s addition to the driver lineup will help that team be competitive for the owner’s championship this season.”

Graf raced for SS-Green Light Racing from 2020 through 2022, scoring a pair of top tens at Talladega in 2021 and 2022. However, struggling performances and personal matters prevented him from being full-time in 2021 and 2022.

He replaces Brandon Jones, who moves to JR Motorsports. The #19 has become the team’s multi-driver car following Jones’ exit, with Ryan Truex also set to make six starts. Other drivers have not been revealed.

“Running five races with JGR is a fantastic opportunity for myself and for my marketing partners,” Graf said. “I think I can learn a lot from JGR and showcase my skills I’ve been growing in the series in the past three years. 2023 is shaping up to be a great year and I’m pumped to get started with the #19 group.”