This weekend, Gray Gaulding is back. The 28-year-old racer will slide behind the wheel for his first NASCAR National Series start in three years in Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Gaulding will drive the No. 74 Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing, and he’ll carry primary sponsorship from Flywheel.
The No. 74 Chevrolet was initially listed with a driver to be announced (TBA) on the preliminary entry list, which was revealed by NASCAR on Monday evening. On Tuesday evening, Mike Harmon Racing officially revealed Gaulding as that driver via a post on social media.
“.@ItsBristolBaby !!!!! Gray Gaulding is back in the saddle this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 74 MHR Flywheel Chevrolet,” the post, accompanied with photos, from the team stated.
. @ItsBristolBaby !!!! Gray Gaulding is back in the saddle this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 74 MHR Flywheel Chevrolet…… ? pic.twitter.com/TTKU8qLcZ6
— MHR_74 (@MHR_racing74) April 8, 2026
With only 38 cars on the entry list for Saturday’s race, Gaulding is assured a starting spot in his first race attempt since the 2023 season, a year in which he competed in 11 races in the series.
Gaulding’s most recent start in the series came at Daytona International Speedway in August 2023, and in that race, the driver clawed his way from a 33rd-place starting spot to finish solidly in the ninth position. That top-10 effort marks the eighth top-10 finish of Gaulding’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career.
In April 2024, Gaulding was arrested and charged with Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence, a charge that was later dismissed by the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office in July 2024.
Heading into Saturday’s race, Gaulding has 79 career starts in the series and has collected two top-five finishes and eight top-10s.
Overall, Gaulding has 158 starts combined between the NASCAR Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts, and Craftsman Truck Series in his career.
While the Mike Harmon Racing team has faced a trying season so far this year, the team made its second start of the 2026 campaign last weekend at Rockingham Speedway. Dawson Cram piloted the No. 74 Chevrolet to a 35th-place finish, which is the team’s best finish of the year.
Gaulding will look to better that performance in his return to the NASCAR National Series ranks this weekend at the 0.533-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.
