Gragson Drives Unique, Fun Personality to Xfinity Series Victory Lane
June 07, 2020 | By Zach Horrall, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Rewind the clock 10 years ago, and 11-year-old Noah Gragson was always on a mountain bike or dirt bike, jumping them off whatever he could find and looking for the next crazy stunt to fill that adrenaline rush.
It was practice, too. Gragson was preparing himself for a career as the next action sports star. He wanted to be just like his hero, Travis Pastrana.
In 2010, Gragson never envisioned that in just one decade he would be one of NASCAR’s rising stars, have two wins in the first seven races of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and sit second in the series points standings. Not to mention, those wins in his No. 9 Chevrolet would come at two of the series’ marquee tracks: Daytona International Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
Back in 2011, Pastrana, always willing to try something new and exhilarating, gave NASCAR a try. He started racing in the grassroots levels of NASCAR, and by 2012 he ran a limited Xfinity Series schedule with RAB Racing.
In 2013, he competed full time in the Xfinity Series with Roush Fenway Racing. That year he won one pole position and finished in the top-10 four times, including a 10th-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
(Pastrana started 39th after a spin in qualifying and rallied to finish 10th in his No. 60 X-Games LA Ford during the 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at IMS. He finished 13th in the 2012 race driving the No. 99 Toyota.)
That experiment for Pastrana didn’t last. After 2013, he left NASCAR to return to his action sports roots and rallying. While that foray into stock car racing didn’t materialize into much for Pastrana, it introduced a 13-year-old Pastrana fan to a new passion.
“That was the inspiration for me saying, ‘Hey, this guy I’ve always looked up to, and he’s a big motorcycle guy and will jump anything and do anything, he’s going NASCAR racing, that’s cool,” Gragson said. “I always thought NASCAR racing was cool, with the speed and whatnot, but to have my hero go over and race NASCAR, it’s one of those things where that was a big deal to me. I’m super fortunate to be have been able to watch him and be a big fan of him. He’s the guy I’ve always looked up to.”
Immediately after his newfound passion for stock car racing, Gragson aspired to race in NASCAR. His ascension through the ranks of NASCAR has been quick compared to many other drivers who start racing at a very young age.
By 2015, Gragson was racing – and winning – in the K&N Pro Series East and West divisions. He tallied two wins in the West division and then scored two wins in the East division in 2016.
By this time, he caught the eye of NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Busch, who hired him to drive for his NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series team and in the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Florida, a coveted victory for any late model short-track racer.
Many in NASCAR began to take notice of the rising star, but not just for his on-track success. Gragson began making a name for himself as one of the most outgoing drivers in the industry. Never one to hide his personality, Gragson’s series of laughable moments have become commonplace in NASCAR.
The highlights include Gragson’s failed attempt to kiss the trophy girl after winning the Snowball Derby in 2018, and even just days ago at Bristol Motor Speedway when he did an in-race interview with Busch, who was broadcasting the race, and admitted he had no idea who he was speaking to, even if it was his former boss.
Gragson said he aspires to be the same person in the car, off the track and at home, just like he observed Pastrana when he was would see Nitro Circus or watch his hero’s YouTube series as he pinned Pastrana jerseys to his bedroom wall in Las Vegas.
“I’ve always just tried to stay myself and not be somebody who I’m not,” Gragson said. “It might get me in trouble sometimes, it might be good for me, but it’s who I am, and I don’t what to be somebody that I’m not. It’s probably the hardest thing ever to remember a lie. If you just tell the truth all the time, you don’t have to worry about remembering what you said because it’s always going to be what you know and who you are.”
Gragson’s promise to be himself has come with its share of fans, as well as some detractors. While Gragson admitted the scrutiny is tough at times, he said his boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Dave Elenz have created an environment at JR Motorsports that allows him to be himself.
Earnhardt advocated for Gragson’s open nature in February at Daytona shortly after Gragson celebrated his win by sliding across the hood of his car on the frontstretch.
“I don't think that's anything you really want to corral or try to limit,” Earnhardt said. “You guys let him be himself, and that's going to appeal to some people and maybe not to everybody, but he doesn't have to worry about that. I think he should be himself, and if he's doing everything that we're asking him to do as far as trying to be successful as a driver, then whatever his personality is, that's what it is. That's who he is.
“I think he's great for the sport, and if we can get him in Victory Lane more often, that'll be good for everybody.”
Gragson said his confidence has climbed significantly over last year, leading to more on-track success in the form of his first two career Xfinity Series wins in his second year. He cited a closer relationship with Elenz and the experience of being familiar with all of the tracks as reason for the improved performance.
This year, Gragson and the rest of the NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers were hit with a big challenge when their season was stopped after four races due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NASCAR’s return to racing has resulted in a condensed schedule with no practice or qualifying thus far.
Gragson said he has enjoyed not having practice, and the results speak for themselves. Since the NASCAR Xfinity Series made its return May 21 at Darlington Raceway, Gragson has finished fifth, 11th, first and second, respectively and sits just four points behind Chase Briscoe for the points lead.
The year of unknowns will take another turn in four weeks as the series visits the 2.439-mile IMS road course in the first-ever stock car road race at IMS, the Pennzoil 150.
Gragson and the rest of the Xfinity Series drivers are expecting the unexpected when the first-ever NASCAR-INDYCAR triple-header weekend takes place July 3-5 on NBC.
“Nobody’s been able to test there, nobody’s been able to race there, so you’re definitely going to see the guys who are going to pick it up quick and the guys who don’t pick it up quick,” he said. “It’ll be a big question mark going into the weekend, and I think that’s where I can overcome the challenges and be one of the first guys to adapt to it.”
Gragson prides himself on his road racing skills, and it’s easy to see why. His worst finish on a road course in the Xfinity Series is ninth last year at Watkins Glen.
While the drivers battle the unexpected nature of the Pennzoil 150, Gragson will return to Indianapolis with confidence. In his first time racing at Indy in 2019, he led one lap and finished third.
Gragson looks back at that race fondly as one of the highlights of his season, already excited to return to Indy as soon as the checkered flag flew. Maybe it’s because that was nearly a career-best day for him.
Or maybe because at age 21, he had already bested his hero Pastrana at the most historic racetrack in the world and in the country’s top level of stock car racing.