Joe Graf Jr
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Joseph A. Graf Jr. (born July 12, 1998) is an American professional
stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...
driver. He last competed part-time in the
NASCAR Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
, driving the No. 19
Toyota Supra is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured and developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. The name " supra" is a definition from the Latin prefix, meaning "above", "to surpass" or "go beyond". The initial four generations ...
for
Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. His son, J. D. Gibbs, ran the team with him until his death in 2019. Founded in Huntersville, North Carolina, ...
.


Racing career

At the beginning of his career, Graf drove Bandolero cars at
Elko Speedway Elko Speedway is a 3/8 mile Stock car racing, asphalt oval NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Elko New Market, Minnesota. Elko Speedway is a track in the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. The track is located in the former Elko, Minne ...
. He later raced
Modifieds Modified stock car racing, also known as modified racing and modified, is a type of auto racing that involves purpose-built cars simultaneously racing against each other on Oval track racing, oval tracks. First established in the United States aft ...
at
Stafford Speedway Stafford Speedway (formerly known as Stafford Motor Speedway and Stafford Springs Motor Speedway) is a paved oval located in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Stafford Speedway holds weekly racing every Friday night May through September. This tra ...
.


ARCA Menards Series

Graf ran the whole season in 2018 save for the season-opening race at Daytona. The deal originally started out as a six-race schedule, but eventually expanded to 19 races. In his third race at Talladega, Graf raced on a foot he had recently broken and finished second to Zane Smith in the closest finish in series history. At
Berlin Raceway Berlin Raceway is a long paved oval race track in Marne, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids. The track races weekly as part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. It has also held touring series events on the ARCA Menar ...
in August, Graf spun
Chandler Smith Chandler Michael Smith Sr. (born June 26, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 38 Ford F-Series (fourteenth generation), Ford F-150 for Front Row Mot ...
on the would-be final lap and then, after losing the lead to Zane Smith on the ensuing restart, pushed Smith up the track in turn four on the final lap to claim his first checkered flag in ARCA competition. In 2023, Graf would test a car for
Emerling-Gase Motorsports Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen is an American stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team fields the No. 35 full-time primarily for Greg Van Alst and the No. 53 full-time for multiple drivers. The team, o ...
at Daytona.


Xfinity Series

In April 2019, Graf joined
Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by Richard C ...
's
driver development program A driver development program, also known as a driver development team or driver academy, is a system or structure designed to identify and develop talent in auto racing. Programs are typically offered to drivers aged 12 to 25 in junior racing cat ...
, which enabled him to run five
NASCAR Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
races for the team starting with
Michigan International Speedway Michigan International Speedway (formerly named as the Michigan Speedway from 1997 to 2000) is a D-shaped oval superspeedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR, Cham ...
's LTi Printing 250. He also became a marketing and communications intern for the team. After failing to qualify at Michigan, he made his series debut in
Iowa Speedway Iowa Speedway is a oval short track in Newton, Iowa. Since its inaugural season of racing in 2006, the track has hosted a variety of racing events, including events sanctioned by NASCAR and IndyCar. NASCAR has owned the facility since 2013, wi ...
's CircuitCity.com 250, where he finished 19th. Graf later said that he hopes to use the schedule as a lead-up to a full-time Xfinity schedule in 2020. At
Richmond Raceway Richmond Raceway (RR) is a , ''D''-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in unincorporated Henrico County, Virginia, Henrico County. It currently hosts one NASCAR Cup Series race weekend and the NASCAR Craftsman Tr ...
in September, Graf blew the tire of
John Hunter Nemechek John Hunter Nemechek (born June 11, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 42 Toyota Camry (XV80), Toyota Camry XSE for Legacy Motor Club. He is the son of NASCAR ...
when Graf moved Nemechek, a driver competing in the NASCAR playoffs, on the last lap. In retaliation, Nemechek spun Graf's car, in turn, one after the checkered flag. On January 16, 2020,
SS-Green Light Racing SS-Green Light Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro SS for multiple drivers and the No. 14 primarily for Garrett Smithley. The team ha ...
announced Graf would race for the team full-time in the Xfinity Series that year, replacing
Gray Gaulding Dwayne Gray Gaulding Jr. (born February 10, 1998) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang for SS-Green Light Racing a ...
in the team's No. 08 car. He finished 22nd in points with a best finish of 13th on three occasions. Graf moved to the team's No. 07 in 2021. Prior to the start of the season, Graf hired
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
player Antonio Williams as an advisor; the two had befriended each other through a mutual acquaintance. At the conclusion of the Martinsville race, a fight broke out on pit road between Graf and
Gray Gaulding Dwayne Gray Gaulding Jr. (born February 10, 1998) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 08 Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang for SS-Green Light Racing a ...
after Gaulding wrecked Graf on lap 177. He missed the Pit Boss 250 at
Circuit of the Americas Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a Grade 1 Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA-specification motor racing track and facilities located in Austin, Texas, United States. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Pr ...
due to a strained left knee and was replaced by
Ross Chastain Ross Lee Chastain (born December 4, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing, part-tim ...
; Graf had run the weekend's practice but ranked 40th due to the injury affecting his braking ability. In 2022, Graf would return to
SS-Green Light Racing SS-Green Light Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, fielding the No. 07 Chevrolet Camaro SS for multiple drivers and the No. 14 primarily for Garrett Smithley. The team ha ...
in the No. 07 and the No. 08. After failing to qualify the No. 08 in the Production Alliance Group 300, he replaced
Timmy Hill Timothy Grant Hill (born February 25, 1993) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 56 Toyota Tundra for his team, Hill Motorsports, and part- ...
in
RSS Racing RSS Racing (also known as Ryan Shane Sieg Racing) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Rod Sieg and Pamela Sieg. The team currently fields three cars: the No ...
's No. 38 and finished 15th. In 2023, Graf ran a full-time schedule with two different teams: 27 races in the Nos. 28, 38 and No. 39 Ford Mustangs for
RSS Racing RSS Racing (also known as Ryan Shane Sieg Racing) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Rod Sieg and Pamela Sieg. The team currently fields three cars: the No ...
and six races in the No. 19 Toyota Supra for
Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. His son, J. D. Gibbs, ran the team with him until his death in 2019. Founded in Huntersville, North Carolina, ...
. Graf would finish 7th in the season opener at Daytona in the No. 39. Graf would follow this up with an 11th place finish at Auto Club Speedway and 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the No. 19. Graf, while driving in the JGR No. 19 later in the season, finished 9th at Kansas and 10th at Homestead-Miami, respectively.


Personal life

Raised in
Mahwah, New Jersey Mahwah is the northernmost and largest municipality by geographic area () in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 25,487, a decrease of 403 ...
, Graf attended
Don Bosco Preparatory High School Don Bosco Preparatory High School (Don Bosco Prep) is a private, all-boys Catholic high school from ninth through twelfth grades. Founded in 1915 as a boarding school for Polish boys, by the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious community of pr ...
and played high school sports for two years before choosing to focus on his driving. Graf attends
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
. He is not related to
Klaus Graf Klaus Graf (born 21 July 1969) is a German professional racing driver. He is the son of rally driver Peter Graf. He lives in the United States while competing in the American Le Mans Series. He resulted LMP1 class champion in 2012, and runner-up ...
who is also a racing driver.


Motorsports career results


NASCAR

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)


Xfinity Series


ARCA Menards Series

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)


ARCA Menards Series East

Season still in progress


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Graf, Joe Jr. 1998 births Living people ARCA Menards Series drivers Don Bosco Preparatory High School alumni New York University alumni Racing drivers from New Jersey Sportspeople from Mahwah, New Jersey NASCAR drivers Richard Childress Racing drivers