Thomas Annunziata will attempt his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Sonoma Raceway with JD Motorsports, JDM announced May 30.
The car number Annunziata will drive is unknown, though the team fields the Nos. 4 and 6 full time.
“Our team has always been attuned to the idea of developing new talent,” team owner Johnny Davis said in a release. “Ross Chastain and others have honed their skills with us. We’re looking for Thomas to be one of the next in line. I’ve been impressed with the talent he’s shown even as a young driver.”
Annunziata made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway, finishing second in a Jeff McClure-owned No. 44. He followed it with a 12th-place run at Talladega Superspeedway.
The 18-year-old also has experience in Trans Am cars.
“I’ve been waiting on this forever,” Annunziata added. “Watching Days of Thunder and Talladega Nights growing up, and watching Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson race NASCAR, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Being able to race with Johnny Davis’ team will give me a crazy amount of experience in a series right below Cup. I’ll be with some of the best drivers in the country. The cars are heavier than Trans Am, and I’ll be learning all the ins and outs of NASCAR. It will be huge for me.”
JDM’s cars have mostly been driven by Dawson Cram and Garrett Smithley in 2024. Smithley has the team’s best finish this year, 16th at Daytona.
About the author
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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