Joe Gibbs Racing had two different drivers set to split the remaining races in the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra, but the team has made a driver change while pursuing an owner's title in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Videos by FanBuzz
As Las Vegas winner Aric Almirola revealed on Saturday night, he will finish out the season in the No. 19. This marks a significant change considering that next weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway was his final scheduled race.
Justin Bonsignore, a four-time Modified champion, had Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway on his schedule. He will now step aside so that Almirola can try to win the owner's championship after falling one spot short last season.
"As of last week, we talked about it internally and talked to Justin, and he was incredibly gracious and said, 'You guys have gotten yourself in a position to go race for an owner's championship. You've earned it. You deserve it, and I don't want to be in the way of that,'" Almirola explained.
"I talked to him on the phone this week, and he was amazing. The fact that he said, 'No, I want you guys to go win an owner's championship,' and he was very much a part of this, right? The fact that he came and participated, he ran the races, he helped fill out the race so that it wasn't a part-time car.
"Maybe you can't race for an owner's championship if you don't run all the races, so the fact that Justin came and was a part of it and helped fill out the races was awesome."
Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography
Bonsignore has made seven starts in the No. 19 Toyota this season. He failed to finish two races due to crashes and another due to an engine failure. His best finish this season was 12th at Iowa Speedway.
While Bonsignore won't be in the No. 19 Toyota after the driver change, he will be present as Almirola tries to score his second Phoenix win this season and the owner's championship.
"(Bonsignore) said him and his wife were still going to come to Phoenix, and I told him I'm so glad that they are because he's a part of it," Almirola added.
"He's a part of the team. He's a part of the 19 team, and I'm glad that he'll be there, and hopefully we'll celebrate together. He's certainly deserving of being a part of that championship run."
