Jeffrey Earnhardt will compete for Sam Hunt Racing for multiple races in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, SHR announced Jan. 14.
Earnhardt will drive SHR’s flagship No. 26 with sponsorship from ForeverLawn.
In an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Earnhardt said his current schedule is seven races. His first start with the team has not yet been announced.
“Having Jeffrey join Sam Hunt Racing is really exciting for our entire team and the Toyota Racing family,” team owner Sam Hunt said in a team release. “Jeffrey is a great guy, and he’s someone I’ve always admired for how he carries himself on and off the track. He’s a great person, and his sponsors at ForeverLawn match a lot of what SHR stands for. It’s going to be a fun season with him and the ForeverLawn team, and we’re excited to get to work.”
Earnhardt drove 29 of the 33 Xfinity races in 2021, competing for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller. His best finish came at Dover Motor Speedway, where he finished 18th.
In 131 career starts, he boasts one top five and three top 10s.
“I’m really excited to be back in the Toyota camp,” Earnhardt said. “My past experience with them was incredible, and they do a great job supporting their drivers. Sam and I formed a nice friendship over the years, and I’m impressed with what he’s achieved in a short amount of time. I feel like we share the same work ethic, and both of us are working hard to achieve our dreams.
“Having ForeverLawn in our corner is truly a gift. They have become my family, and our relationship extends well beyond racing. We have three like minded parties working together towards a common goal. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Earnhardt is the second driver to be announced to SHR’s driver lineup for 2022. On Jan. 13, Ryan Truex was revealed to be the team’s driver at the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, with other starts likely for 2022.
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Rutherford is the managing editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2015 after serving on the editing staff for two years. At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.
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SHR? Stewart Haas Racing and Sam Hunt Racing. That could get confusing.
BTW, I think Sam has a brother named Mike.
I think Petty owns 1 unit.
https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2021/12/02/gms-racing-owner-pays-19-1-million-in-deal-for-richard-petty-motorsports/
The continuing saga of RPM. They should have their own chapter in a business admin text book. Chapter 43 “Creative Accounting”.
For sure. Using Petty name to keep it relevant or for getting sponsors or for some reason they want to. Who knows.