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Joseph A. Graf Jr.[1] (born July 12, 1998) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Joe Graf Jr.
Graf at a Wawa in 2023
BornJoseph A. Graf Jr.
(1998-07-12) July 12, 1998 (age 26)
Mahwah, New Jersey, U.S.
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
130 races run over 6 years
Car no., teamNo. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2023 position23rd
Best finish22nd (2020)
First race2019 CircuitCity.com 250 (Iowa)
Last race2024 Food City 300 (Bristol)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 5 0
ARCA Menards Series career
39 races run over 2 years
Best finish5th (2019)
First race2018 Music City 200 (Nashville)
Last race2019 Kansas ARCA 150 (Kansas)
First win2018 Primera Plastics 200 (Berlin)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 21 0
ARCA Menards Series East career
3 races run over 3 years
Best finish44th (2019)
First race2018 New Smyrna 175 (New Smyrna)
Last race2020 General Tire 125 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of October 23, 2024.

Racing career

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At the beginning of his career, Graf drove Bandolero cars at Elko Speedway.[2] He later raced Modifieds at Stafford Speedway.[3]

ARCA Menards Series

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2018 ARCA car

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,[4] 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.[5] At Berlin Raceway in August, Graf spun Chandler Smith 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.[6]

In 2023, Graf would test a car for Emerling-Gase Motorsports at Daytona.[7]

Xfinity Series

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In April 2019, Graf joined Richard Childress Racing's driver development program, which enabled him to run five NASCAR Xfinity Series races for the team starting with Michigan International Speedway's LTi Printing 250. He also became a marketing and communications intern for the team.[8] After failing to qualify at Michigan, he made his series debut in Iowa Speedway'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.[9] At Richmond Raceway in September, Graf blew the tire of John Hunter Nemechek 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.[10]

On January 16, 2020, SS-Green Light Racing announced Graf would race for the team full-time in the Xfinity Series that year, replacing Gray Gaulding in the team's No. 08 car.[11] He finished 22nd in points with a best finish of 13th on three occasions.[12]

Graf moved to the team's No. 07 in 2021.[12] Prior to the start of the season, Graf hired Buffalo Bills player Antonio Williams as an advisor; the two had befriended each other through a mutual acquaintance.[13] At the conclusion of the Martinsville race, a fight broke out on pit road between Graf and Gray Gaulding after Gaulding wrecked Graf on lap 177.[14] He missed the Pit Boss 250 at Circuit of the Americas due to a strained left knee and was replaced by Ross Chastain; Graf had run the weekend's practice but ranked 40th due to the injury affecting his braking ability.[15]

In 2022, Graf would return to SS-Green Light Racing 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 in RSS Racing's No. 38 and finished 15th.

 
Graf Jr. at Auto Club Speedway in 2023

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 and six races in the No. 19 Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing. 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

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Raised in Mahwah, New Jersey, Graf attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School and played high school sports for two years before choosing to focus on his driving.[5]

Graf attends New York University.[8]

He is not related to Klaus Graf who is also a racing driver.

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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

Xfinity Series

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NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team 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 NXSC Pts Ref
2019 Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH
DNQ
IOW
19
CHI DAY
23
KEN NHA IOW GLN MOH RCH
14
ROV DOV KAN TEX PHO HOM 44th 55 [16]
Kaulig Racing 10 Chevy BRI
DNQ
ROA DAR IND LVS
2020 SS-Green Light Racing 08 Chevy DAY
36
LVS
20
CAL
31
PHO
31
DAR
19
CLT
19
BRI
13
ATL
26
HOM
16
HOM
13
TAL
34
POC
35
IRC
26
KEN
13
KEN
22
TEX
21
KAN
28
ROA
25
DRC
26
DOV
18
DOV
21
DAY
37
DAR
23
RCH
19
RCH
27
BRI
27
LVS
27
TAL
31
ROV
15
KAN
32
TEX
22
MAR
21
PHO
27
22nd 422 [17]
2021 07 DAY
11
DRC
20
HOM
27
LVS
18
PHO
25
ATL
29
MAR
38
TAL
33
DAR
37
DOV
29
COA CLT
DNQ
MOH
30
TEX
31
POC
32
ROA ATL
25
NHA
24
GLN
30
IRC MCH
38
DAY
35
DAR
19
RCH
31
BRI
17
LVS
40
TAL
10
TEX
26
KAN
28
MAR
15
28th 286 [18]
SS-Green Light Racing
with Rick Ware Racing
17 NSH
34
ROV
28
PHO
35
2022 SS-Green Light Racing 07 Ford DAY
29
LVS
38
PHO
27
ATL
23
RCH
29
MAR
26
TAL
8
DOV
28
DAR
36
TEX
23
CLT
34
PIR
21
NSH
37
ATL
30
NHA
12
POC IRC MCH
23
GLN DAY
37
DAR
33
KAN BRI
23
TEX
18
TAL
22
ROV
27
LVS HOM
24
MAR
27
PHO
36
27th 284 [19]
08 CAL
DNQ
COA
34
RSS Racing 38 Ford CAL
15
B. J. McLeod Motorsports 5 Ford ROA
36
2023 RSS Racing 39 Ford DAY
7
23rd 395 [20]
Joe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota CAL
11
LVS
15
RCH
37
NHA
29
KAN
9
HOM
10
RSS Racing 38 Ford PHO
31
ATL
25
COA
31
MAR
37
TAL
20
DOV
22
DAR
32
CLT
17
PIR
23
SON
31
NSH
21
CSC
33
ATL
21
POC
17
ROA
23
MCH
27
IRC
35
GLN
22
DAY
34
DAR
26
BRI
26
TEX
36
ROV
31
LVS
37
MAR
29
28 PHO
31
2024 Joe Gibbs Racing 19 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO COA RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV DAR CLT PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND
17
MCH DAY
12
DAR
11
ATL GLN BRI
19
KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO 38th 93 [21]

ARCA Menards Series

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

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2018 Chad Bryant Racing 77 Ford DAY NSH
16
SLM
11
TAL
2
TOL
3
CLT
18
POC
7
MCH
5
MAD
12
GTW
8
CHI
13
IOW
5
ELK
3
POC
26
ISF
16
BLN
1
DSF
11
SLM
11
IRP
13
KAN
21
8th 4000 [22]
2019 DAY
21
FIF
11
SLM
9
TAL
10
NSH
6
TOL
17
CLT
12
POC
8
MAD
9
GTW
11
CHI
11
ELK
7
IOW
9
ISF
10
DSF
11
SLM
6
IRP
10
KAN
9
5th 4610 [23]
Chevy MCH
4
POC
10

ARCA Menards Series East

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ARCA Menards Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 AMSEC Pts Ref
2018 Calabrese Motorsports 43 Toyota NSM
15
BRI LGY SBO SBO MEM NJM THO NHA IOW GLN GTW NHA DOV 51st 29 [24]
2019 Chad Bryant Racing 22 Ford NSM BRI SBO SBO MEM NHA IOW GLN BRI
16
GTW NHA DOV 44th 28 [25]
2020 Visconti Motorsports 74 Ford NSM TOL DOV
17
TOL BRI FIF 45th 27 [26]

* Season still in progress

References

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  1. ^ "Team Event Rosters – Texas Motor Speedway – Saturday, October 24, 2020" (PDF). NASCAR. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  2. ^ Sansevere, Bob (June 7, 2019). "Minnesota driver Joe Graf Jr. balances classes at NYU, first start on NASCAR Xfinity Series". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  3. ^ Courchesne, Shawn (April 26, 2019). "Former Stafford SK Light Mod Regular Joe Graf Jr. Joins Richard Childress Racing In Unique Role". RaceDayCT. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  4. ^ Radebaugh, Don (March 28, 2018). "Joe Graf Jr. making ARCA debut at Nashville with Chad Bryant Racing". ARCA Menards Series. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Rowe, John (May 4, 2018). "Mahwah resident Joe Graf Jr. climbing auto racing ladder". The Record. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  6. ^ Niehaus, Matt (August 25, 2018). "Joe Graf Jr. Steals ARCA Win At Berlin". Apex Off. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Christie, Toby (2023-01-10). "60 Drivers on Official Entry List For ARCA Pre-Race Practice at Daytona". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  8. ^ a b Utter, Jim (April 26, 2019). "Joe Graf Jr. to make NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with RCR". Motorsport.com. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  9. ^ Wolkin, Joseph (23 August 2019). "NYU Student Joe Graf Jr. Splits Time Between The Racetrack And The Classroom". Long Island Weekly. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  10. ^ Catanzareti, Zach (September 20, 2019). "John Hunter Nemechek angry at Joe Graf Jr. following Richmond race". Kickin The Tires. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  11. ^ Utter, Jim (January 16, 2020). "Joe Graf Jr. moves fulltime to NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2020". Motorsport.com. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Rutherford, Kevin (February 5, 2021). "Joe Graf Jr. Moving to No. 07 in Xfinity in 2021". Frontstretch. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  13. ^ Utter, Jim (February 10, 2021). "NFL's Antonio Williams to invest in NASCAR driver Joe Graf Jr". Motorsport Network. Motorsport Network. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  14. ^ "Gray Gaulding, Joe Graf Jr. Fight Following Xfinity Race at Martinsville". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "Ross Chastain Subbing for Joe Graf Jr. in Xfinity Race at COTA". Jayski's Silly Season Site. May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  17. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  18. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  19. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  20. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  21. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  22. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  23. ^ "Driver Joe Graf, Jr. 2019 ARCA Menards Series results". Racing Reference. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  24. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  25. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  26. ^ "Joe Graf Jr. – 2020 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
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