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GMS Racing, a successful team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will be ceasing its operations after the 2023 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. This decision was confirmed through a press release on Wednesday.
GMS Fabrication, a related entity linked to the team's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series efforts, will also be closing down after this year's season concludes in November.
The organization, originally named Gallagher Motorsports, was established in 2012 by Maury Gallagher, CEO of Allegiant Travel Company. It initially entered the ARCA Menards Series with Spencer Gallagher and later expanded into the trucks category.
The team transitioned to GMS Racing in 2014, participating full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Joey Coulter. They featured alongside a two-car ARCA Menards Series program for Grant Enfinger and Spencer Gallagher.
Unsurprisingly, the news left many fans surprised. They expressed their reactions on X, formerly known as Twitter. Here are some of the notable tweets in response to this development:
Toby Christie, GMS Racing team owner, paid tributes to the crew of the team:
"During the past nine years, GMS Racing has become one of the top teams in the Truck and ARCA Series garage. The people that made this happen have been the hard-working men and women at GMS Racing and GMS Fabrication.
"Every employee, new and old at GMS, has always strived to be the very best. Without their effort and dedication, we would have never been able to win two Truck championships, three ARCA championships, and 68 wins.”
In 2014, GMS Racing, now under its new name, made a shift to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a commitment to full-time participation. They entered the series with Joey Coulter as their driver.
Simultaneously, they continued to run a two-car program in the ARCA Menards Series, with Grant Enfinger and Spencer Gallagher.
GMS Racing's journey in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The team's inaugural triumph took place in 2015 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when Austin Dillon piloted the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado. Despite this early victory, GMS Racing didn't secure another win until a standout performance in the 2016 season.
In 2016, Johnny Sauter, Kyle Larson, Ben Kennedy, and Grant Enfinger achieved victories for the team, leading to GMS Racing's inaugural championship win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Following that milestone, GMS Racing has been consistently racking up wins, accumulating a total of 44 triumphs in the Craftsman Truck Series. Among these victories, Johnny Sauter stands out with 13 wins, holding the record for the most wins by any driver in the team's history.
Currently, GMS Racing is involved with three full-time entries in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Grant Enfinger (No. 23), Rajah Caruth (No. 24), and Daniel Dye (No. 43). Throughout this season, these entries have secured two wins, six top-five finishes, and 11 top-10 finishes.
As the season progresses, Grant Enfinger, driving the No. 23 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet Silverado, remains GMS Racing's last contender for clinching a third championship in the Truck Series. He is positioned sixth in the championship standings as the team heads to Milwaukee.
