TRICON Garage Overview
Tricon Garage is a professional American stock car racing team headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina. Founded in 2018, the team competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025, fielding Toyota-built entries across both series. The team is owned by former driver David Gilliland and Johnny Gray, and operates under a multi-car program that has produced more than 35 race victories in national stock car competition. Tricon Garage is recognized for developing young drivers, including Brett Moffitt, Todd Gilliland, Hailie Deegan, and Corey Heim, and for winning two drivers’ championships across its various racing programs.
Since its formation, Tricon Garage has grown from a small late model operation into a multi-series Toyota team, earning a reputation for nurturing future NASCAR talent while steadily building a competitive truck program. The organization fields cars numbered 1, 5, 7, 11, 15, 17, 54, and 56, with Bass Pro Shops serving as a noted primary sponsor on the No. 56 Cup Series entry.
Founding and Organizational Origins
Tricon Garage traces its origins to 2014, when David Gilliland Racing first appeared in the X-1R Pro Cup Series, the predecessor to the CARS Tour, fielding the No. 98 for Todd Gilliland. From 2015 to 2017, the operation expanded into Super Late Model racing, running multiple cars for drivers such as Todd Gilliland, Raphael Lessard, Nicole Behar, Tanner Thorson, Chase Purdy, and Hannah Newhouse. These early years allowed the team to build a foundation in driver development while establishing relationships with engine builders and parts suppliers.
In early 2017, David Gilliland and Bo LeMastus merged their respective organizations, David Gilliland Racing and Crosley Sports Group, into a collaborative effort known as DGR-Crosley. The merged team purchased Red Horse Racing’s assets and prepared to enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2018. The official team debut came at the 2018 NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway, marking the formal beginning of what would eventually become Tricon Garage.
Growth Into NASCAR Competition
DGR-Crosley began running Toyota trucks in 2018 and 2019, then announced a switch to Ford for 2020. In 2021, the organization reverted to the David Gilliland Racing name as Johnny Gray became a co-owner, with LeMastus continuing in a marketing and sponsorship role. On October 27, 2022, the team announced a return to Toyota Racing Development for 2023 and introduced the new name Tricon Garage, a label derived from the prefix tri- and the word icon.
The team’s early national program centered on the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA East, and ARCA West, where it quickly developed championship-caliber talent. In 2018, Tyler Ankrum won four ARCA East races and clinched the series championship with a race to spare, while Todd Gilliland captured the team’s first ARCA victory with a last-lap pass at New Smyrna. These development ladder results set the stage for the team’s expansion and long-term success in the Truck Series.
TRICON Garage Competitive Journey
Tricon Garage has progressed from a part-time Truck Series entrant in 2018 into a multi-series Toyota operation with championship hardware. The team has compiled more than 240 total races, 17 pole positions, 35 victories, and two drivers’ championships across the Cup Series, Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA East, and ARCA West. The Cup Series program began in 2025 with a single entry at the Daytona 500, while the Truck Series has remained the team’s primary focus.
Early Seasons and Development (2018-2020)
The team’s first Truck Series season came in 2018, when the newly formed DGR-Crosley fielded trucks for Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland, Kyle Benjamin, Justin Marks, and team co-owner David Gilliland. The first Truck Series victory arrived on July 11, 2019, at Kentucky Speedway, where Tyler Ankrum inherited the lead when Brett Moffitt ran out of fuel on the final lap. Tanner Gray added a strong rookie campaign in 2020 with four top-five finishes in the No. 15 Toyota, while Hailie Deegan began her development in ARCA competition.
In 2020, the team ran Ford Fusions in both the ARCA Menards Series and the Truck Series, expanding its driver lineup to include Tanner Gray, Taylor Gray, Dylan Lupton, and Anthony Alfredo. Todd Gilliland captured a victory in the ARCA Menards Series West at Phoenix Raceway, reinforcing the team’s strength in short-track and intermediate-track development racing.
Breakthrough in the Truck Series (2021-2023)
After renaming in late 2022 and returning to Toyota, Tricon Garage announced Corey Heim as the full-time driver of the new No. 11 entry for 2023. Heim opened with an eighth-place run at Daytona and scored his first win of the season at Martinsville Speedway. He added a second victory at Mid-Ohio, claimed the regular-season championship at Richmond, won at Bristol during the playoffs, and finished third in the final Truck Series standings before a postseason 25-point penalty dropped him to fourth.
Beyond Heim, the 2023 program included Dean Thompson in the No. 5 and a rotating cast in the No. 1, where William Sawalich recorded three top-ten finishes across six starts. The team’s renewed alliance with Toyota Racing Development provided stronger manufacturer support, helping transform Tricon Garage from a development team into a consistent Truck Series contender.
Breakthrough: 2025 Truck Series Championship (2024-2025)
In 2024, Corey Heim continued his dominance, opening the year with a second-place run at Daytona and collecting regular-season wins at Circuit of the Americas, Kansas, North Wilkesboro, Gateway, and Pocono. He added a playoff victory at Kansas and finished second in the championship race at Phoenix to end the year second in points.
The 2025 season delivered the team’s first Truck Series drivers’ championship. Heim was awarded the Daytona season opener after the initial winner failed post-race inspection, then added victories at Las Vegas and Texas during the regular season. During the playoffs, he swept Darlington, New Hampshire, and the Charlotte Roval, breaking Greg Biffle’s 1999 single-season record of nine Truck Series wins with a 10th victory. An 11th win at Martinsville locked Heim into the Championship 4, and a victory at Phoenix in the season finale secured the title.
Breakthrough Into the Cup Series (2025)
On January 16, 2025, Tricon Garage announced that it would attempt the Daytona 500 with the No. 56 Toyota Camry, driven by Martin Truex Jr. with Bass Pro Shops as the primary sponsor and Cole Pearn as crew chief. The car was built primarily by Joe Gibbs Racing, which serves as the team’s technical partner for the Cup program. Truex qualified for the race on lap time and started 39th, before being collected in a lap-71 incident that ended his day in 38th place. The effort marked the team’s official entry into NASCAR’s top national series.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2023-Present)
Tricon Garage fields a multi-truck program in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, including the No. 1, No. 5, No. 11, No. 15, No. 17, and rotating part-time entries. The current driver lineup features Corey Heim in the No. 11, Kaden Honeycutt in the No. 11, Tanner Gray in the No. 15, Gio Ruggiero in the No. 17, and Toni Breidinger in the No. 5 for 2025. Additional drivers including Jimmie Johnson are scheduled for select events. The Cup Series program centers on the No. 56 Toyota Camry, with technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing.
The team continues to operate from its Mooresville, North Carolina, shop, where it manages vehicle preparation, engineering, and driver development across its truck and Cup programs. Bass Pro Shops remains a notable primary sponsor on the No. 56 entry, and the team maintains a strong working relationship with Toyota Racing Development.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
Tricon Garage’s identity centers on driver development, technical consistency, and a willingness to rotate emerging talent through its various trucks. The team’s strengths lie in intermediate and short-track Truck Series competition, where disciplined pit work and steady long-run pace have helped drivers like Corey Heim, Tyler Ankrum, and Tanner Gray convert consistent runs into race wins.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
The team’s defining milestones include Tyler Ankrum’s 2018 ARCA East championship, its first Truck Series win at Kentucky in 2019, the 2023 return to Toyota, Corey Heim’s 2025 Truck Series championship, and its Cup Series debut at the 2025 Daytona 500. Heim’s 10-win 2025 season also set a new single-season Truck Series victory record.
TRICON Garage Achievements and Results
Tricon Garage has accumulated two drivers’ championships and 35 race victories across the NASCAR Cup Series, Truck Series, ARCA Menards Series, ARCA East, and ARCA West. The team’s championship hardware includes Tyler Ankrum’s 2018 ARCA East title and Corey Heim’s 2025 Truck Series crown. The organization has also earned 17 pole positions across all national series in which it has competed.
Cup Series Achievements
Tricon Garage’s Cup Series program launched in 2025 with the No. 56 Toyota Camry at the Daytona 500, driven by Martin Truex Jr. The team completed its first Cup race in 38th place and continues to build its top-series presence through its technical partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing. The organization has zero Cup Series victories or pole positions to date.
Truck Series Achievements
Tricon Garage has scored 23 Truck Series victories, 7 pole positions, and 1 drivers’ championship across 116 starts. The team earned its first Truck Series win at Kentucky in 2019 with Tyler Ankrum and built toward its championship breakthrough with Corey Heim’s 2023 regular-season title and 2025 playoff run. Heim’s 2025 campaign included 11 wins, including the Phoenix finale that clinched the championship.
ARCA Menards Series Achievements
The team has recorded 2 ARCA Menards Series victories, 2 pole positions, and 62 starts, highlighted by Tanner Gray’s 2022 General Tire 150 win at Phoenix, which he dedicated to hauler driver Steven C. Stotts. The team has used the ARCA platform to develop drivers such as Hailie Deegan, Thad Moffitt, and Todd Gilliland.
ARCA East Achievements
Tricon Garage has produced 8 ARCA East wins, 6 pole positions, and 45 starts, highlighted by Tyler Ankrum’s 2018 series championship with four victories. Todd Gilliland also contributed a key win at New Smyrna in 2018, while Ty Gibbs and Riley Herbst added later victories for the organization.
ARCA West Achievements
The team has earned 5 ARCA West wins, 2 pole positions, and 18 starts, led by Todd Gilliland’s 2020 win at Phoenix and Taylor Gray’s victory at Kern County Raceway Park. Drivers including Erik Jones, Daniel Suárez, and Thad Moffitt have also made starts for the organization in the series.