JGR Rookies Shine In Daytona Xfinity Series Practice

Taylor Gray (Nigel Kinrade/NKP photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A pair of Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders from Joe Gibbs Racing led the way during the first NASCAR Xfinity Series practice session of the year Friday at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Taylor Gray topped a list of 41 drivers that turned laps on the 2.5-mile World Center of Racing, touring the historic high banks in 48.386 seconds (186.004 mph) with the No. 54 Operation 300 Toyota.

After competing in 13 Xfinity Series races last year and earning a best finish of third in his debut at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, Gray will make his first Daytona Xfinity start Saturday in the United Rentals 300.

The same can be said of 18-year-old William Sawalich, who landed second at 48.388 seconds (185.997 mph) in the No. 18 Soundgear Toyota and joined the 19-year-old Gray near the top of the speed charts.

Sawalich raced three Xfinity Series races last fall after his 18th birthday, earned a pole in the season finale at Arizona’s Phoenix Raceway, and is a two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion.

That means expectations are high for the young standout from Eden Prairie, Minn.

Taylor Gray (54) leads William Sawalich during NASCAR Xfinity Series practice Friday at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)

“The lap there was really good,” said Sawalich after practice. “The draft for the first time (in the Xfinity car) was about like any other car I’ve ever been in, and honestly a little bit smoother, I think.

“Happy I’m comfortable in the driver’s seat, and I think we’re going to have a good car for the race.”

JR Motorsports’ Sammy Smith was third (48.398/185.958) and ranked as the fastest Chevrolet driver in Xfinity Series practice, with Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed fourth (48.429/185.839) and taking similar honors for the Ford stable.

Carson Kvapil made it three rookies in the top five in practice Friday, followed by four-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Justin Bonsignore, who is running a partial schedule in JGR’s ‘all-star car’ this season.

Rookie Dean Thompson, Brandon Jones, Matt DiBenedetto, and Jordan Anderson closed the top 10.

The fastest driver on unaided speed, however, was Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love. He turned a best lap of 49.211 seconds (182.886 mph) without any sort of draft helping his No. 2 Chevrolet.

That’s a good sign for qualifying Saturday morning, where Love will look to earn the pole in the Daytona season opener for the second year in a row.

“I think it’s definitely possible,” said Love of grabbing another pole. “We’ve got a really good Whelen Camaro and I feel really good about it. Obviously, we showed a ton of speed by ourselves there. All the ECR (Earnhardt Childress Engines) boys, the RCR body shop, and the fab shop back in Welcome (N.C.) do a phenomenal job getting these speedway cars ready, and it makes my job easy.

“Where it gets tough is Saturday night in the race,” added Love, who was caught in a crash last year and finished 20th at Daytona in February. “I’ve been pushing myself on the sim getting ready for Daytona itself, and hopefully it’ll pay off when the pay window opens tomorrow.”

Defending Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier, who will also race in Sunday’s Daytona 500 with JR Motorsports, was 25th in practice Friday after turning just three laps in his No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet.

Qualifying for the United Rentals 300 is slated for Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET, with live streaming coverage on the CW App.