NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Rookie of the year Tyler Ankrum will join GMS Racing for the 2020 season, the team announced Thursday morning.
The 18-year-old San Bernardino, California native will join an already potent lineup that includes 2018 Truck champion Brett Moffitt (who looks to defend last year’s championship in Friday’s season-ending race in Miami), Sheldon Creed and 2019 K&N East champ Sam Mayer.
“Adding Tyler to our lineup is a great addition to our Truck Series program,” GMS Racing president Mike Beam said. “He is a talented young driver with a lot of potential and a great future ahead of him in NASCAR. I look forward to the success he will bring GMS in 2020.”
Ankrum won the 2018 K&N Pro Series East Championship and was also East Rookie of the Year. He moved up to the Truck Series full-time this season with DGR-Crosley Racing, competing in 19 of 23 races, earning his first career win at Kentucky, as well as three top fives and eight top 10s. That performance earned him the 2019 Sunoco Rookie of the Year award in the Truck Series.
He was the only rookie in the Truck Series to make this season’s playoffs, but did not advance to the Championship 4.
“I’m excited to move on to the next chapter in my racing career with GMS Racing and Chevrolet,” Ankrum said in a media release. “I’m pumped to work with my new teammates and hope I can bring something special to the team. I think we will win a lot of races and contend for the championship in 2020.”
The crew chief and the number of Ankrum’s truck at GMS will be announced at a later date, the team said.
Welcome to the team, @TylerAnkrum! @NASCAR_Trucks | @TeamChevy #WeAreGMS #NASCAR https://t.co/xqbm7gUV4t
— GMS Racing (@GMSRacingLLC) November 14, 2019