Spencer Gallagher Bio
Spencer Moritz Gallagher, born on November 20, 1989, is an American professional stock car racing driver who has competed across multiple NASCAR and ARCA touring divisions. Over the course of his career, he has raced in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Canada Series, and the ARCA Menards Series, building a reputation as a determined oval racer. He is the son of Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., the chief executive officer of Allegiant Air, and he grew up near fellow racer Dylan Kwasniewski in the Las Vegas area. After stepping away from full-time competition at the end of 2018, Gallagher returned to racing in 2025 with part-time ARCA Menards Series entries.
Early Life and Background
Spencer Moritz Gallagher was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 20, 1989. He grew up in the same neighborhood as fellow racing driver Dylan Kwasniewski, though the two first crossed paths on the racetrack rather than as childhood friends. Gallagher is the son of Allegiant Air CEO Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., and his family background gave him both financial stability and an early connection to the travel industry that later sponsored his race cars.
Gallagher began racing at the age of twelve in the Bandolero Bandit Series, then moved up to the Legends Car Series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring. At nineteen, while preparing to chase a full-time racing career, he spent time working for a Silicon Valley software company, an experience that broadened his perspective outside the garage. These early years laid the foundation for his progression into bigger cars and higher-profile series.
Path to NASCAR
Gallagher began taking his racing prospects seriously in 2009 on the recommendation of car owner and former driver T.J. Clark. That year he won the Silver State Road Racing Championship, and in 2010 he added the INEX Legends Road Course World Finals title. He also entered six Super Late Model Series races during this stretch, recording a best finish of fourth. These accomplishments helped him secure opportunities in NASCAR’s development ladder.
In 2011, Gallagher made six starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, then added two K&N Pro Series East starts in both 2011 and 2012. That same year he debuted in the ARCA Racing Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park, driving the No. 05 Allegiant Air Chevrolet, and finished a promising fifteenth in his first outing. The combination of regional NASCAR experience and ARCA competition set the stage for his full-time leap into national touring series.
Spencer Gallagher Career
Early Career (2011-2014)
Gallagher’s developmental years centered on the ARCA Racing Series, where he built race craft and consistency. He ran the full nineteen-race schedule in 2012, posting six top-ten finishes and ending the year seventh in points. In 2013 he improved further with twelve laps led, five top-five finishes, and eight top-ten finishes, despite missing a race after a concussion at Michigan and failing to qualify for two others, leaving him tenth in the final standings.
In 2014, Gallagher ran the full ARCA schedule while also sharing the No. 23 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Max Gresham. That October he captured his first ARCA victory at Kansas Speedway in the season finale, starting thirty-second and leading the final thirty-two laps. Later the same month he earned his best Truck Series finish to that point, a third at Talladega, charging through the field on the last lap.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2015)
Gallagher moved full-time into GMS Racing’s No. 23 truck for the 2015 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, making the Truck Series his primary focus. He produced a runner-up finish at Gateway Motorsports Park in June, his strongest result of the year. Over his Truck Series career spanning 2013 to 2018, he recorded zero wins, fifteen top-ten finishes, and two pole positions.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2017-2018)
Gallagher moved up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in 2017 with GMS Racing, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet. His rookie Xfinity campaign was eventful, highlighted by a practice incident at Dover International Speedway with Joey Gase and a Gateway crash in 2016 with John Wes Townley that led to a fine of twelve thousand dollars and probation. He finished the 2017 season learning the circuits and adapting to longer race distances.
In April 2018, Gallagher scored his first career Xfinity victory at Talladega Superspeedway, passing leader Tyler Reddick on the final lap in overtime to take the win. Four days later, however, he was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for violating its substance abuse policy, costing him his Dash 4 Cash eligibility and playoff spot. His suspension later ended and he returned to the No. 23 car at Kentucky Speedway. Over his Xfinity career, Gallagher recorded one win, twelve top-ten finishes, and zero poles.
NASCAR Cup Series Debut (2018)
Gallagher made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in August 2018 with BK Racing at Watkins Glen International. After starting thirty-fourth, he finished thirty-fifth in the Go Bowling at The Glen. The single Cup start left him with a best career Cup finish of thirty-fifth, ending the year seventy-first in the standings with zero wins, zero top-ten finishes, and zero poles.
GMS Racing Management Era (2019-2024)
In 2018, Gallagher announced that he would step away from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the season to manage his father’s racing organization and explore new opportunities off the track. He took on a managerial role at GMS Racing, transitioning from the driver’s seat to the boardroom. He did not return to competitive racing during this stretch.
Return to ARCA (2025)
On April 11, 2025, it was announced that Gallagher would return to racing in the ARCA Menards Series East at Rockingham Speedway, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Sigma Performance Services. The Rockingham race marked his first start in any racing series since 2018. He is also scheduled to drive the No. 23 in the main ARCA Menards Series at Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gallagher’s strongest results have consistently come on superspeedways and high-banked ovals, with his first ARCA win at Kansas and his first Xfinity win both coming at Talladega. He has shown a knack for late-race restarts, including his overtime pass of Tyler Reddick for the 2018 Xfinity victory. Across his career he has built a reputation as a steady oval racer willing to take calculated risks in traffic.
Notable Races and Milestones
His signature moments include the 2014 ARCA season finale win at Kansas Speedway and the 2018 Xfinity victory at Talladega. He also earned a third-place Truck Series finish at Talladega in 2014, a runner-up Truck result at Gateway in 2015, and a runner-up Truck result at Talladega in 2016. His Cup debut at Watkins Glen in 2018 added another chapter to his broad touring-series resume.
Spencer Gallagher Career Wins
Spencer Gallagher’s career win totals span the ARCA Menards Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with one victory in each. His ARCA victory came at Kansas Speedway in 2014, and his Xfinity win came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2018. Combined, these two wins form the foundation of his competitive resume across national stock car racing.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Gallagher scored one ARCA Menards Series win, twelve top-ten finishes, and zero poles over the course of his ARCA career. His first and only ARCA victory came at Kansas Speedway in October 2014, leading the final thirty-two laps from a thirty-second starting spot. He finished a career-best seventh in ARCA points in 2012, the year he ran the full schedule for the first time.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Gallagher recorded one Xfinity Series win, twelve top-ten finishes, and zero poles across his partial 2016 and full 2017-2018 campaigns. His first and only Xfinity victory came at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2018, where he passed Tyler Reddick on the final lap in overtime. He ended 2018 eighteenth in Xfinity points, his best season-long result in the series.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his national series wins, Gallagher captured the 2009 Silver State Road Racing Championship and the 2010 INEX Legends Road Course World Finals. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series he posted fifteen top-ten finishes and two poles without a win, and in the NASCAR Canada Series he made a single start at Mosport in 2015.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 1 | 21 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ARCA Menards Series West | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Spencer Gallagher Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gallagher is the son of Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., the chief executive officer of Allegiant Air, the Las Vegas-based airline that has sponsored several of his race cars over the years. His father’s business success gave Gallagher the resources to climb through the ranks of Legends, Late Model, ARCA, and NASCAR competition. He grew up alongside fellow future racer Dylan Kwasniewski in a Las Vegas neighborhood, and the two eventually became competitors on track.
Personal Life
Gallagher was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he spent part of his late teens working for a Silicon Valley software company before committing fully to racing. After stepping away from full-time driving at the end of 2018, he transitioned into a managerial role at GMS Racing while remaining connected to the sport through his family’s racing organization.
2025 Season Performance
Spencer Gallagher’s 2025 season centers on a part-time return to the ARCA Menards Series with Sigma Performance Services. He is scheduled to drive the No. 24 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series East at Rockingham Speedway, marking his first start in any racing series since 2018. Additional ARCA Menards Series starts are planned at Talladega Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway, and Charlotte Motor Speedway in the No. 23 Chevrolet.
His return emphasizes superspeedways and intermediate ovals, two track types where he has historically produced his best results, including his 2014 ARCA win at Kansas and his 2018 Xfinity victory at Talladega. The limited 2025 schedule allows him to balance racing with his continued management responsibilities within the GMS organization.
While there is no confirmed ARCA championship push or full-season Xfinity or Cup program announced for 2025, Gallagher’s part-time slate offers a measured comeback platform. Fans and analysts will watch his Rockingham, Talladega, Kansas, and Charlotte outings for signs of competitive pace, with each race serving as a benchmark for potential future opportunities at higher NASCAR levels.