Stephen Mallozzi, who has made six starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series over the past three seasons, will attempt to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in Saturday’s Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 at Pocono Raceway. Mallozzi, 23, will pilot the No. 35 entry for Joey Gase Motorsports.
Team owner Joey Gase expressed excitement over his race team being able to give Mallozzi the opportunity as they witnessed the young racer record a 24th-place finish in the NASCAR Truck Series event at Pocono a season ago.
“We are looking forward to giving Stephen his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start at his home track,” said Gase. “He did a great job in the truck race last year at Pocono so we are excited to see what he can do in our No. 35 NASCAR Xfinity Series car”
The racer will also pull double duty for the first time in his professional driving career as he is set to contest Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series CRC Brakleen 175 at Pocono in the No. 27 Ford F-150 for Reaume Brothers Racing.
We went from no rides, to two rides. Official announcement @ 3 PM. pic.twitter.com/soZ7zgUEdw
— Stephen Mallozzi (@DriverMallozz) July 10, 2024
Mallozzi feared his dreams of being a driver in the NASCAR National Series had been dashed a few years back when his father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
His father, who was given just six months left to live, has defied the odds, and so too, has the younger Mallozzi.
“Four years ago, I thought I’d never step foot inside a racecar again,” Mallozzi said in a press release. “Now, I am making my Xfinity Series debut at my home track. It makes me emotional to think about sometimes. I can not express how grateful I am to everyone involved, especially Josh [Reaume] and Joey [Gase].”
With 39 cars currently on the entry list for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, Mallozzi will have to qualify his way into the field in order to make his series debut.
In both races, the native of Swedesboro, NJ will carry primary sponsorship backing from longtime partner Great Pocono Homes.
“Mike and Kim Gilliar and the whole Great Pocono Homes team are incredible,” Mallozzi stated. “They run a great business and have the best deals on homes in all of the Pocono Mountains.”
Additionally, Mallozzi will have associate sponsorship backing from Stacking Dennys, Ozark Rods, Win The Race, and Real Sports — a new partner — for the race weekend.
To date, Mallozzi’s best finish in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition was a 22nd-place result in his series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2022. Mallozzi also recorded a top-25 at Pocono a season ago (24th), and finished 28th in his first start of the 2024 season, which came at Martinsville Speedway.
Despite his small sample size behind the wheel, Mallozzi gained notoriety last season when he was able to procure primary sponsorship from Outback Steakhouse for the fall NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mallozzi, who is in law school, also moonlights as a server at a local Outback Steakhouse location.
