Tanner Gray Bio
Tanner Sean Gray (born April 15, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 15 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Tricon Garage. Gray is widely recognized as the youngest professional driver ever to win a national event in NHRA history and the youngest driver ever to win a solo NHRA season championship.
Born and raised in the Southwest before relocating to the heart of NASCAR country, Gray built a résumé that bridges drag racing and stock car racing. His career path from Pro Stock dragsters to pickup trucks has made him one of the most versatile young drivers in American motorsports.
Early Life and Background
Tanner Sean Gray was born on April 15, 1999, in Artesia, New Mexico. He is the son of professional drag racer Shane Gray and his wife Amber. Growing up, Tanner was surrounded by the sounds and smells of high-horsepower racing, and he spent much of his childhood around NHRA events watching his father compete.
He is the grandson of Johnny Gray, a champion in both Funny Car and Pro Stock who also served as president of Marbob Energy, a New Mexico oil producer. Through his grandfather, Tanner became a third-generation driver to compete at the national level of the NHRA. In 2010, the Gray family sold Marbob Energy for $1.7 billion in proceeds, a transaction that helped fund the next phase of Tanner’s racing career.
That same year, the Gray family relocated from New Mexico to Mooresville, North Carolina, so that Shane Gray could pursue his own professional drag racing career. The move placed young Tanner in the center of the stock car world and gave him easy access to short tracks across the region.
Path to NASCAR
Gray’s path to NASCAR began on dirt ovals and short tracks around Mooresville. He raced in Mini Outlaw Karts at Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, North Carolina, often sharing the track with fellow future stars Kyle Larson and Rico Abreu. He later moved into Late Models, modifieds, and Midget cars, building the well-rounded skill set that would later define his driving style.
After finding success in the NHRA Pro Stock class, Gray announced in September 2018 that he would shift his focus to stock car racing. He signed with DGR-Crosley to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East in 2019 after meeting team owner David Gilliland during the summer of 2018. He picked up his first ARCA victory at South Boston Speedway in early May 2019, signaling his quick transition to the new discipline.
Tanner Gray Career
Early Career (2017-2018)
Gray’s professional career began in 2017, when he joined his father Shane Gray in the Pro Stock class of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. On April 2, 2017, he won the final round of the Denso Spark Plug Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway against Bo Butner, becoming the youngest professional driver ever to win a national NHRA event. At 17 years, 11 months, and 18 days old, he broke a 40-year-old record previously held by Jeb Allen.
That same season, Gray captured the Auto Club Road to the Future Award as the top rookie across all NHRA pro categories. In 2018, he won eight races and secured the Pro Stock championship, becoming the youngest driver ever to claim a solo NHRA season title.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2019-2020)
Gray’s stock car breakthrough came in 2019 with DGR-Crosley in the ARCA Menards Series East. He scored his first victory at South Boston Speedway in May 2019 and finished third in the East Series standings. He also made select starts in the main ARCA Menards Series that year, posting a 19th-place best result in the standings.
He returned to the ARCA Menards Series in 2020 and 2021, running a part-time schedule. In late 2023, he announced a return to the ARCA Menards Series for six races in 2024 behind the wheel of the No. 18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, focused on tracks 1.5 miles and longer. During that 2024 ARCA campaign, Gray won twice, including the General Tire 150 at Charlotte and the Reese’s 150 at Kansas.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2019-Present)
Gray made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in October 2019 at Martinsville Speedway with DGR-Crosley in the No. 15 Toyota Tundra. He ran a three-race schedule that fall, adding starts at ISM Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. In December 2019, the team announced that Gray would run the full 2020 Truck Series schedule and chase Rookie of the Year honors.
His 2020 rookie season produced eight top-ten finishes and four top-fives, along with a 14th-place result in the final standings. He took a step back in 2021, posting only two top tens and an 18th-place points finish. In 2022, Gray bounced back with three consecutive top-ten finishes to open the season, six top tens overall, and a 15th-place points result.
On October 27, 2022, DGR-Crosley rebranded as Tricon Garage after switching to Toyota Racing Development, with Gray retained as a full-time driver. In 2023, he opened the year with a career-best second-place finish at Daytona, trailed only by race winner Zane Smith, and earned his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May with a qualifying lap of 180.385 mph. He ended 2023 14th in points. On November 18, 2024, Tricon Garage announced it had renewed Gray’s contract for the 2025 season.
Tricon Garage Era (2023-Present)
The move to Toyota and the rebranding of the team to Tricon Garage gave Gray a fresh start in 2023. He immediately showed speed, leading late at Daytona and posting strong runs across the schedule. The new partnership with Toyota Racing Development aligned him with a manufacturer known for strong short-track performance, and his qualifying pace, including the pole at Charlotte, demonstrated the new ceiling of his talent.
Across 2024 and 2025, Gray has consistently finished 13th in the Truck Series standings, establishing himself as a reliable points scorer. He has accumulated 34 top-ten finishes and two poles in the series without yet visiting Victory Lane, a mark of consistency that the team is working to convert into a breakthrough win.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gray is known for a smooth, calculated driving style shaped by his drag racing background. His experience launching a Pro Stock car translates into strong restarts and disciplined throttle control on intermediate tracks. Crew chief chemistry at Tricon Garage has been central to his development, and his ability to qualify well, including poles at Charlotte and on the ARCA side, has become a hallmark of his race weekends.
Notable Races and Milestones
His signature moments include his April 2017 NHRA win in Las Vegas, the 2018 Pro Stock championship, his ARCA victory at South Boston in 2019, his 2024 ARCA wins at Charlotte and Kansas, and his career-best Truck Series run at Daytona in 2023. His pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2023 also stands as a defining qualifying milestone.
Tanner Gray Career Wins
Tanner Gray has built a unique résumé that spans both NHRA drag racing and NASCAR stock car competition. His career highlights include one NHRA Pro Stock championship, one NHRA Rookie of the Year award, two ARCA Menards Series victories, and one ARCA Menards Series East win.
NHRA Pro Stock Highlights
Gray’s first professional victory came at the 2017 Denso Spark Plug Nationals in Las Vegas, where he became the youngest national event winner in NHRA history. He followed that breakthrough by winning eight races and the 2018 Pro Stock championship, making him the youngest driver ever to claim a solo NHRA season title.
Other Wins and Performances
On the stock car side, Gray won the 2019 ARCA East race at South Boston Speedway, finished third in the East standings, and added two ARCA Menards Series wins in 2024 at Charlotte and Kansas driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. He has also posted 34 top-ten finishes and two poles in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series without yet scoring a series win.
Tanner Gray Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gray comes from one of the most recognized racing families in the NHRA. His grandfather Johnny Gray is a Funny Car and Pro Stock champion and was president of Marbob Energy. His father Shane Gray is a professional drag racer and national event champion. Tanner’s younger brother, Taylor Gray, is also a NASCAR driver and currently competes full-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in the No. 54 car.
Since 2021, Johnny Gray has co-owned Tricon Garage, giving the family a direct hand in Tanner’s NASCAR program. The multi-generational racing tradition, from Funny Cars to Pro Stock to stock cars, has shaped Tanner’s approach to competition.
Personal Life
Gray resides in Mooresville, North Carolina, the same hometown that anchors much of the NASCAR community. He maintains an active presence on social media and continues to balance his stock car career with the family’s deep drag racing roots.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season has been another step forward for Gray and Tricon Garage. He once again sits 13th in the final Truck Series standings, matching his 2024 result and confirming his consistency over a full schedule. The renewed partnership with Toyota Racing Development has given the team reliable equipment, and Gray has been a regular presence in the top fifteen week in and week out.
While a Truck Series victory has remained elusive, Gray has continued to log top-ten finishes and strong qualifying runs, including additional poles. The team has used 2025 to refine pit-road strategy and restarts, areas where Gray’s drag racing instincts offer a real edge. With sponsorship continuity and crew chief stability, Tricon Garage has positioned itself as a threat to break through for its first win with Gray at the wheel.
Looking ahead, the 2025-2026 offseason offers the team a chance to regroup and target Victory Lane in 2026. With a multi-year contract, Toyota factory support, and a driver who has already proven himself as a champion in another discipline, the program is built to make the jump from consistent contender to race winner in the near future.
