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Jack Hawksworth joins Joe Gibbs Racing for Mid-Ohio Xfinity race

Phoenix International Raceway - Day 1

AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 01: Jack Hawksworth of England, driver of the #41 A J Foyt Enterprises Honda IndyCar prepares for qualifying to the Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 1, 2016 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Jack Hawksworth, a former IndyCar driver and current IMSA racer, will make his Xfinity Series debut this weekend in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (3 p.m. ET Saturday on NBCSN).

Hawksworth takes the place of Jeffrey Earnhardt, who announced Wednesday morning he had parted ways with sponsor iK9 and wouldn’t be competing this weekend.

Hawksworth, 28, has two IMSA wins this year, including a GTD class win at Mid-Ohio in May.

“I’m excited to be joining the Joe Gibbs Racing team and driving the No. 18 iK9 Toyota Supra this weekend at Mid-Ohio,” Hawksworth said in a press release. “It’s a fantastic opportunity in a completely different series, against completely different competition and in a different type of racing.

“From a personal perspective, I’m very excited to experience something new and to be challenged in a new way. It’s going to be very different, I’m sure it’s going to be difficult and there’s going to be a bit of a learning curve with it, but I’m going into it with a championship-winning organization so that gives me a lot of confidence. I look to get out there and do a good job and looking forward to getting out on the track.”

A native of Bradford, England, Hawksworth competed in IndyCar from 2014-16, with the final two years racing for A.J. Foyt.

He earned one podium finish in 2014 on the Houston street course.

“As we head in to the second road course of the season, we’re fortunate to have a veteran like Jack Hawksworth be able to come out of the Lexus program to help out the Toyota family and our team in the No. 18 iK9 Supra this weekend,” said Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President of Xfinity Series and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing in a press release. “He will bring a great deal of experience and a history of success to JGR this weekend.

“I think he’ll be a great asset to our team and be someone that both Brandon (Jones) and Christopher (Bell) can look to for advice on how to get around Mid-Ohio. He’s proven he can win at the track and no reason not to continue that this weekend with the 18 team.”