Spencer Gallagher

Spencer Gallagher
Born (1989-11-20) November 20, 1989
Las Vegas, Nevada
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
7 races run over 1 year
Car no., team No. 23 (GMS Racing)
2016 position 105th
Best finish 105th (2016)
First race 2016 Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 (Phoenix)
Last race 2016 Drive for the Cure 300 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
58 races run over 4 years
2016 position 12th
Best finish 10th (2015)
First race 2013 SFP 250 (Kansas)
Last race 2016 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 15 2
Statistics current as of November 18, 2016.

Spencer Gallagher (born November 20, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro for GMS Racing. He is also the son of Allegiant Air's CEO, Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr.

Early career

Gallagher was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to Gallagher, he and fellow driver Dylan Kwasniewski lived in the same neighborhood growing up, though their first encounter was on the racetrack. He is the son of Allegiant Air CEO Maury Gallagher. Gallagher spent time working for a Silicon Valley software company at age 19 while transitioning to a full-time racing career.[1][2]

Gallagher began racing at age 12 in the Bandolero Bandit Series, then progressing to the Legends Car Series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring. Gallagher began to take his racing prospects seriously in 2009 on the recommendation of car owner and former driver T.J. Clark. He won the Silver State Road Racing Championship that year, and the INEX Legends Road Course World Finals in 2010. He also ran 6 races in the Super Late Model Series with a best finish of fourth. In 2011, Gallagher made 6 starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, then made 2 in the East Series in both 2011 and 2012.[2][3]

ARCA and NASCAR

2011–2013

Gallagher's 2013 ARCA car on display at Road America

Gallagher made his debut in the ARCA Racing Series at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2011, and ran two more races with a best finish of 15th in the No. 05 Allegiant Air Chevrolet. He ran the full 19-race schedule in 2012, earning 6 top 10's and finishing 7th in points. His results improved in 2013, with 12 laps led, 5 top 5's and 8 top 10's. He failed to qualify for two races, however, and missed a race after a concussion at Michigan, relegating him to a 10th-place points finish.[4] Gallagher also attempted 5 races (2 DNQ's) in the Camping World Truck Series, with a best finish of 20th at Texas.

2014

Gallagher ran the full ARCA schedule in 2014, along with a partial schedule in the No. 23 in the Truck Series, sharing the ride with Max Gresham.

Gallagher was involved in an incident with John Wes Townley at the Iowa truck race in July, leading to a physical confrontation between the two and their respective crew members after the race. Townley and Gallagher, both competitors in the ARCA series as well, felt there was mutual bad blood built up between each other. The two had a friendlier conversation afterwards.[5]

In October 2014 he got his first win in the 20th and final race of the ARCA season, the ARCA 98.9 at Kansas Speedway. Gallagher started 32nd, and led the final 32 laps of the race.[1][6] Later that month, he earned a Truck Series best finish of third at Talladega on a last lap charge through the field.[7]

2015

Gallagher went full-time in GMS Racing's 23 truck for 2015.[1][2] Gallagher earned a second-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park in June.[8]

2016

Gallagher started the season with a low note crashing early at Daytona and recovered for a 21st-place finish. Starting at Phoenix, Gallagher would select Xfinity Series races using the No. 21, scoring his first top 10 at Daytona. In the Truck Series he scored five straight top ten finishes until Texas. On June 26, 2016 at Gateway Motorsports Park, Gallagher was involved in a crash with John Wes Townley on lap 155 which led to a fight between the two drivers for several seconds before NASCAR officials separated them.[9] Gallagher finished 2nd at Talladega behind teammate Grant Enfinger.

2017

Gallagher moved up to the Xfinity Series full-time in 2017 with GMS, driving the No. 23 Chevy.[10]

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

Camping World Truck Series

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wolkin, Joseph (April 14, 2015). "Spencer Gallagher rising through the ranks". motorsport.com. motorsport.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Levine, Steve; Staff Report (August 13, 2014). "Video: GAINING TRACTION: SPENCER GALLAGHER". NASCAR.com. NASCAR, NASCAR Illustrated. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "GMS Racing: Drivers". gmsracing.net. GMS Racing. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Spencer Gallagher cleared for Take-Off in No. 23 Allegiant Travel Chevy for Chicagoland". arcaracing.com. Mooresville, North Carolina: ARCA. July 15, 2013.
  5. ↑ Albert, Zach (July 11, 2014). "TENSIONS RISE POST-RACE BETWEEN TOWNLEY, GALLAGHER: Peters and Hornaday Jr. exchange words as well at Iowa". NASCAR.com. Iowa Speedway: NASCAR. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Palmer, Tod (October 3, 2014). "Mason Mitchell takes ARCA title; Spencer Gallagher wins the ARCA 98.9". The Kansas City Star. Kansas Speedway: The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Trucks: Peters beats Talladega "system overload"". Racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. October 18, 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES HIGHLIGHTS: Gallagher: 'Bringing Home P2 Man, Come On!'". nascar.com. NASCAR. June 14, 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry (June 26, 2016). "Townley, Gallagher wreck, wrestle and then slug it out after Gateway wreck". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  10. ↑ "GMS Racing To Join NASCAR XFINITY Series Full Time In 2017 with Gallagher". GMS Racing. December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
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