Sam Mayer, a second-year driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, has been tapped to return to the organization for a third full-time season in the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro in 2024, the organization announced on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old driver is currently in the midst of a breakout season in NASCAR’s second-tier series, where he has scored a pair of victories on the road courses of Road America and Watkins Glen International.
Those victories, along with strong performances throughout the regular season, allowed Mayer to clinch a berth into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs for the second year in a row, where he is seeded fifth and headed to the playoff opener at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“We’ve seen so much potential in Sam and we’re proud of all he’s accomplished this year,” said JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “The victory at Road America was huge for him and his family. Getting things solidified for next year will allow him to focus on the remainder of 2023 as he competes for the championship.”
Mayer, a two-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (now known as the ARCA Menards Series East), began his journey with JR Motorsports in 2018, before ultimately making his Xfinity Series debut in 2021, as part of a part-time campaign with the organization.
Over the last two seasons, Mayer has been a fixture in JR Motorsports’ full-time driver lineup, scoring 21 finishes inside the top-five, and 40 top-10 results, along with his aforementioned two victories.
“It’s been a great year for our No. 1 team,” said Mayer, who will make his 100th series start with JRM next season. “Finally getting that first win was like a weight lifted and so energizing. I’m really grateful to continue my career with JR Motorsports and thankful to Dale Jr., Kelley, and Mr. Hendrick for making it happen. Now we can turn our attention to a championship run this year.”
Additional details, including sponsorship and team personnel for the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro will be announced by JR Motorsports at a later date.
