Kaz Grala is making his return to Sam Hunt Racing. He reunites with his former team for some upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
According to a Wednesday announcement, Grala will drive the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for two road courses and a street course. His first start will be the Chicago street race on Saturday, July 5. He will then return to the No. 24 Toyota at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, Aug. 9, and the Charlotte Roval on Saturday, Oct. 4.
Grala, who was Sam Hunt Racing's first full-time driver, currently works as the Simulator Testing and Reserve Driver for Legacy Motor Club.
"It's always nice to have a familiar face walk into SHR," team owner Sam Hunt said in a statement. "Kaz has been working in the Legacy MC simulator all year, so I know he's more than eager to get back on track and get real-world reps.
"He knows our process as well as anyone and has had a lot of success with us in the past, especially on these road courses. I think we have all continued to improve since 2023, and I'm thankful and proud to have Overplay partner with us to support the effort. It's going to be a fun couple of races for sure."
Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography
Grala, the youngest driver to win a Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway, has experience across all three national NASCAR series. He has 31 Cup Series starts, which includes top-10 finishes at the Daytona Road Course and Talladega Superspeedway. He has 51 starts in the Truck Series with one win, six top-five finishes, and 19 top-10s.
As an Xfinity Series driver, Grala has 77 starts with seven top-five finishes and 19 top-10s. His lone full-time season was in 2023 as he drove for Sam Hunt Racing. Grala controlled the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra and scored nine of his top-10s. His best finishes were fourth at Richmond Raceway and fifth at the Charlotte Roval.
"I can't wait to finally suit back up, especially with my friends at Sam Hunt Racing," Grala said. "We had a lot of success together in 2023, and with the growth they've had since then, I have confidence that we'll be able to contend up front each time we hit the track.
"My role at Legacy Motor Club as their simulation driver has kept me sharp behind the wheel this year, and ties in perfectly with the driving games we've created with Overplay. For the first time, fans are playing racing games that I made. Overplay has been an incredible sponsor to work with so far, as they've fully immersed themselves in the NASCAR world this year. I'm looking forward to what we are all able to accomplish together, and I can't think of a better place to get started than the streets of Chicago."