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Matt Tifft joining Richard Childress Racing to drive No. 2 Xfinity car in 2018

NASCAR XFINITY Series My Bariatric Solutions 300 - Practice

FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 07: Matt Tifft, driver of the #19 SiriusXM Toyota, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series My Bariatric Solutions 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 7, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)

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Matt Tifft will drive full-time for Richard Childress Racing in the Xfinity Series next year, the team announced Thursday.

Tifft, a rookie with Joe Gibbs Racing this season, will drive the No. 2 Chevrolet as part of a multi-year deal.

The 21-year-old driver of the No. 19 Toyota is one of the 12 in the Xfinity playoffs that continue this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Tifft’s news comes on the same day RCR announced Daniel Hemric will return to drive the No. 21 Chevrolet next season.

“I am very appreciative and grateful for the opportunity to race for a championship and grow as a driver under one the most successful and historic teams in NASCAR,” Tifft said in a press release. “RCR has a long history of developing partnerships through its Xfinity Series program.

“I am looking forward to being a part of the family and applying what I have learned in my first full-time Xfinity Series season while continuing to grow with the goal of competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in the future.”

Tifft has made 39 Xfinity starts since 2015. He has no wins, three top fives and 15 top 10s. In 2016, Tifft missed a portion of the season as he recovered from having a low-grade brain tumor removed.

“Matt is a talented race car driver and an even better young man,” Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of RCR said in a press release. “I’ve watched him race for the past few years and we were impressed by his ability. We look forward to welcoming Matt to our Xfinity Series program and having him compete for a championship with RCR.”

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