Las Vegas, Nev. native Noah Gragson will take over the driving duties of the No. 62 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Beard Motorsports at least for the Daytona 500, CATCHFENCE.com has learned.
The season-opening NASCAR Cup Series race on Feb. 14, 2021, would mark Gragson’s debut in the Cup Series and follow his first race of the season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports.
Gragson, 22, replaces Brendan Gaughan, also a native of Las Vegas who retired from NASCAR competition following the YellaWood 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October.
Since 2017, Gaughan competed in 17 Cup races, 16 on superspeedways and earned the Mark Beard-owned team four top-10 finishes including a seventh-place result in the 2020 running of the Daytona 500.
Gragson, a two-time winner in Xfinity Series competition is also a former winner at the “World Center of Racing” capturing his first career victory in the 2020 NASCAR Racing Experience 300.
His victory propelled him as the first Xfinity driver in the Playoffs last season, but he was eliminated in the penultimate round of the Playoffs. However, he ended his first season at JR Motorsports fifth in the championship standings with two wins, 17 top-five and 25 top-10 finishes.
In August, Gragson resigned with JR Motorsports with follow-up extended support from Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber Camo and Black Rifle Coffee Company.
Gragson, however, won’t be guaranteed in the “Great American Race.” Without a charter, Beard Motorsports is considered an “open team” and will have to make the event based on the criteria which is dependent on the number of entries for the 63rd annual Daytona 500.
With a maximum 40-car starting field, Gragson will either have to make the race based on his qualifying speed or his finishing position in the Daytona Duel on Feb. 11, 2021.
43 cars attempted the Daytona 500 last February but Gaughan and Beard Motorsports made the race based on their speed posted during qualifying and did not need to rely on the Daytona Duel.
At the time, Gaughan said the team’s decision to lease an engine from Earnhardt-Childress Racing was a contributing factor.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
