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Joe Gibbs Racing Announces Driver Lineup for XFINITY Series No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota

On Tuesday, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a new driver lineup that will replace the injured Kyle Busch in the team’s No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the XFINITY Series.  Drivers already under the JGR umbrella will pitch in, along with an outsider.
Erik Jones, who debuted in the car Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, has been scheduled to drive the No. 54 in two additional races.  Those races are Phoenix on Mar. 14 and Richmond in April.
Denny Hamlin had already been named to drive the No. 54 this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  In addition to Las Vegas, Hamlin will also drive the No. 54 at Auto Club Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway in April, and the Charlotte 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May.
Finally, the team has also signed road racing specialist Boris Said to the team.  Following Marsh Racing’s merger with Action Express Racing in the offseason, the 52-year old veteran sports car racer and car dealership owner was left without a full-time ride in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.  As a result, Said had some spare time that he could devote to the cause.  Said has been signed to drive in seven races.  Those races include the standalone road races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Road America in August.  Said will also drive at Talladega in May, both races at Iowa Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway in June and Kentucky Speedway in September.
JGR still has no timetable for Busch’s return to the No.18 M&M’s Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series, let alone the XFINITY Series.  However, Tuesday’s announcement does indicate a lengthy convalescence.

Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.

Outside of Frontstretch, Phil is the press officer for Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, N.Y. He covers all the action on the high-banked dirt track from regular DIRTcar Modified racing to occasional visits from touring series such as the Super DIRTcar Series.