Gaunt Brothers Racing was a Canadian professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. Gaunt Brothers Racing also competed in the Pinty's Series and the K&N Pro Series. The team was owned by Marty Gaunt, president and CEO of Triad Racing Technologies; GBR originally used engines from Triad before moving to Toyota Racing Development motors in alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.[1]

Gaunt Brothers Racing
Owner(s)Marty Gaunt
BaseMooresville, North Carolina
SeriesNASCAR Cup Series
Race drivers96.
Sponsors96.
ManufacturerToyota
Opened2010
Closed2021
Career
DebutNASCAR Cup Series:
2017 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Pinty's Series:
2010 Keystone Light 200 (Delaware)
Latest raceNASCAR Cup Series:
2021 Hollywood Casino 400 (Kansas)
Pinty's Series:
2011 NAPA Autopro 100 (Montreal)
Races competedTotal: 94
NASCAR Cup Series: 81
Camping World Truck Series: 1
Pinty's Series: 12
Drivers' ChampionshipsTotal: 0
NASCAR Cup Series: 0
Pinty's Series: 0
Race victoriesTotal: 0
NASCAR Cup Series: 0
Pinty's Series: 0
Pole positionsTotal: 1
NASCAR Cup Series: 0
Pinty's Series: 1

NASCAR Cup Series

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Car No. 96 history

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The team's No. 96 car at Daytona in 2017

On January 18, 2017, Gaunt Brothers Racing declared their plans to attempt the 2017 Daytona 500 with Canadian driver D. J. Kennington behind the wheel of the No. 96 Toyota Camry. The team was fielded in a partnership with RAB Racing. They plan to attempt all four superspeedway events in 2017.[2] Kennington made the 59th annual Daytona 500, by passing Elliott Sadler at Cam-Am Duel 2. The team failed to finish the race after being involved in a crash just past halfway. The team returned to Talladega where they used ThorSport Racing's No. 98 hauler. The team failed to qualify. They didn't return to Daytona in July because Kennington joined Premium Motorsports, leaving the team without a driver.

 
Parker Kligerman's No. 96 Toyota at Sonoma in 2018

However, the team, with Kennington, returned to Daytona in an attempt to qualify for a second straight 500 in 2018, guaranteed after only 40 showed up to try to get in the race. The team entered the spring ISM Raceway race, which would be their first appearance on a non-restrictor track, qualifying 34th. Parker Kligerman joined GBR for the Coca-Cola 600, his first Cup race since 2014.[3] Jeffrey Earnhardt joined the team in August 2018 for 14 of the final 16 races. Jesse Little was announced to drive at the August Bristol night race. Earnhardt and GBR parted ways before the Martinsville race. He was replaced by Kennington at Martinsville and Kligerman at Texas.

Kligerman returned to the team in an attempt to qualify the Daytona 500 and drove the majority of the races during the 2019 NASCAR season that featured Gaunt Bros. Racing. Drew Herring came on board to drive the season finale at Homestead for the team.

 
Suárez's No. 96 car at Dover International Speedway in 2020

On January 17, 2020, Kligerman announced that he has no plans to return to the No. 96 or in any of NASCAR's three national series.[4] On January 28, Daniel Suárez officially signed with Gaunt Brothers Racing to race the No. 96 full-time in 2020.[5] Despite Suárez's eligibility, the team did not participate in the 2020 Busch Clash to focus on the 2020 Daytona 500.[6] The move came as GBR had a total of three chassis in the shop, some dating back to 2012 as Michael Waltrip Racing originals.[7][8] Suárez failed to make the Daytona 500 after finishing 22nd in Duel 1 of the 2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels when he collided with Ryan Blaney in turn 4.[9] On September 15, Gaunt Brothers Racing and Suárez announced that they would be parting ways in 2021.[10]

On January 19, 2021, it was announced that Ty Dillon would replace Daniel Suarez for the 2021 season. Despite finishing sixth in the first Duel of the 2021 Bluegreen Vacations Duels, Dillon missed the 2021 Daytona 500.[11] On April 15, 2021, it was announced that Harrison Burton would make his Cup Series debut at Talladega. In this race, Burton would become the first driver born in the 2000s decade to run a Cup Series race.[12] Landon Cassill would then drive the #96 for the next two Superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega respectively finishing in 36th at Daytona and then 24th at Talladega. Parker Kligerman then would return to the team at Kansas giving the team its best run of the season with a 20th-place finish.

The team quietly ceased operations after the 2021 season.

Car No. 96 results

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Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Owners Pts
2017 D. J. Kennington 96 Toyota DAY
36
ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL
DNQ
KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 44th 1
2018 DAY
24
ATL LVS PHO
31
CAL MAR
28
TEX BRI
27
RCH TAL
20
DOV KAN DAY
13
KEN NHA MAR
27
37th 183
Parker Kligerman CLT
27
POC MCH SON
23
CHI GLN
24
TEX
31
PHO HOM
Jeffrey Earnhardt POC
29
MCH
39
DAR
34
IND
32
LVS
25
RCH
37
CLT
26
DOV
31
TAL
37
KAN
37
Jesse Little BRI
35
2019 Parker Kligerman DAY
15
ATL
30
LVS
31
PHO CAL MAR TEX
27
BRI RCH TAL
27
DOV KAN CLT
26
POC MCH SON
30
CHI DAY
31
KEN NHA POC GLN
26
MCH BRI DAR IND
36
LVS RCH CLT
26
DOV TAL
15
KAN
29
MAR TEX
22
PHO 35th 155
Drew Herring HOM
29
2020 Daniel Suárez DAY
DNQ
LVS
30
CAL
28
PHO
21
DAR
25
DAR
27
CLT
28
CLT
28
BRI
18
ATL
31
MAR
27
HOM
31
TAL
28
POC
28
POC
26
IND
20
KEN
26
TEX
23
KAN
18
NHA
26
MCH
24
MCH
26
DAY
27
DOV
30
DOV
28
DAY
26
DAR
25
RCH
29
BRI
26
LVS
29
TAL
34
CLT
25
KAN
27
TEX
27
MAR
27
PHO
31
31st 365
2021 Ty Dillon DAY
DNQ
DAY
19
HOM LVS PHO ATL BRI
26
MAR RCH COA
21
CLT SON NSH POC POC ROA
26
ATL NHA GLN IND MCH 40th 110
Harrison Burton TAL
20
KAN DAR DOV
Landon Cassill DAY
36
DAR RCH BRI LVS TAL
24
CLT TEX
Parker Kligerman KAN
20
MAR PHO

Camping World Truck Series

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Truck No. 96 history

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In August 2017, GBR and Kennington reunited to run the Truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, where Kennington drove the No. 96.[13]

Truck No. 96 results

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Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCWTC Pts
2017 D. J. Kennington 96 Toyota DAY ATL MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX GTW IOW KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP
14
CHI NHA LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM

Pinty's Series

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Car No. 11 history

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The team announced its Pinty's Series involvement in May 2010, initially setting John Gaunt as driver of the No. 11 entry.[14] Gaunt started seven of the twelve events in the series that year.[15] In 2011, Jason Bowles joined the team for two races, winning the pole in one.[16]

K&N Pro Series East

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NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2011 Jason Bowles 75 Toyota GRE SBO RCH
6
IOW BGS JFC LGY NHA COL GRE NHA DOV 53rd 150 [17]

References

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  1. ^ Long, Dustin (August 4, 2018). "Gaunt Brothers Racing expanding its schedule". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. ^ "GAUNT BROTHERS RACING SETS '17 SCHEDULE; KENNINGTON TO COMPETE AT DAYTONA". NASCAR. January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  3. ^ DeGroot, Nick (May 10, 2018). "Parker Kligerman to run Coke 600 at Charlotte with Gaunt Brothers". Motorsport.com. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  4. ^ Long, Dustin (January 22, 2020). "Parker Kligerman will not return to No. 96 Cup car". NBC Sports. NBC.
  5. ^ "Gaunt Brothers Racing signs Daniel Suarez for 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  6. ^ "Daniel Suarez joins Gaunt Brothers Racing". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 28, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  7. ^ Smith, David (September 10, 2020). "RPM Owner, Long Interested In Improving NASCAR's Diversity, Eyes Replacements For Bubba Wallace". Forbes. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Albino, Dustin (September 13, 2020). "Daniel Suarez Mentality Changed With Gaunt Brothers Racing". Frontstretch. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  9. ^ "Daniel Suarez's hopes for Daytona 500 dashed after Duel crash". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "Daniel Suarez, Gaunt Brothers to part ways after season". NASCAR Talk. NBC Sports. September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "Ty Dillon Narrowly Misses Out on Qualifying Into Daytona 500". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Albert, Zack (April 15, 2021). "Gaunt Brothers Racing taps Harrison Burton for Cup Series debut at Talladega". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.
  13. ^ Wilson, Steven B. (August 28, 2017). "Gaunt Brothers Racing, DJ Kennington to Compete in NASCAR Truck Race". Speedway Digest. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  14. ^ "GBR Joins Canadian Tire Series | NASCAR Home Tracks". hometracks.nascar.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  15. ^ "John Gaunt 2010 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  16. ^ "Jason Bowles 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  17. ^ "Jason Bowles – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
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