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Ryan Gifford

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Ryan Gifford
Gifford at Richmond International Raceway in 2011
NationalityAmerican
Born (1989-03-10) March 10, 1989 (age 35)
Winchester, Tennessee
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East career
Debut season2009
Starts70
Wins1
Poles1
Best finish9th in 2010
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
2 races run over 2 years
2014 position67th
Best finish63rd (2013)
First race2013 U.S. Cellular 250 (Iowa)
Last race2014 Get To Know Newton 250 (Iowa)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics current as of September 28, 2014.

Ryan Gifford (born March 10, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A former development driver for Richard Childress Racing and a former member of NASCAR NEXT. He last drove the No. 2 Toyota Camry for Rev Racing in the regional K&N Pro Series East as a member of NASCAR's Drive for Diversity, and has made starts in the national Xfinity Series for RCR and Biagi-DenBeste Racing. Gifford is the first African-American driver to win a pole in the K&N East series, and works in the shop of Team Dillon Racing.

Early life

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Gifford is the son of Allen Burnette and Michelle Gifford, who died in 2010. Ryan also has a half-brother, Jabryle Hill. Ryan's grandfather Farrell Gifford was a drag racer, who introduced him to racing at age six. Gifford graduated from Franklin County High School and attended Middle Tennessee State University.[1][2]

Gifford began his career in go-karts at the age of eight, competing in the World Karting Association from 2000 to 2004 and winning two track championships and finishing 3rd in national standings in his final season. In 2005 at age 15, he began the transition to stock car racing in dirt late models, earning 3 poles and four top 5s in his first season. In 2006, Gifford was noticed by Mike Dillon, the son-in-law of Richard Childress and RCR's general manager. Gifford would move into the Dillon's North Carolina household in 2008 to compete for RCR and Team Dillon Racing on both dirt and asphalt, registering 3 wins and 20 top 10's in 29 starts that season. In 2009, Gifford made four starts in the K&N Pro Series East and one in the West Series in a No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet for RCR. Gifford scored four top 5s including two second-place finishes.[3][4][5]

K&N Pro Series East

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Gifford's winning car at Richmond in 2013.

In 2010, Gifford one of eleven young drivers selected for NASCAR's recently revamped Drive for Diversity program, and would pilot the #2 Chevrolet in the K&N Pro Series East. Gifford raced alongside future national series drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. and Paulie Harraka.[6] Gifford earned 4 top fives in the 10 race schedule, finishing 9th in points. Gifford also won a pole at Martinsville Speedway, the first pole by an African American in the series' history. Gifford returned in 2011 and 2012, posting a total of seven top 10s in 26 races, and finishing 10th and 11th in points respectively.

In 2013, Gifford was named part of the NASCAR NEXT program.[7] Gifford was also joined by a new crew chief, veteran race car driver Mark Green.[8] He won his first race, the Blue Ox 100, on April 27 at Richmond International Raceway. Gifford started 11th and worked his way to the front, beating Brandon Gdovic and Cole Custer on a late-race restart.[9][10] Gifford would finish 11th in points with four top 5s and six top 10s.

After the race at Loudon, New Hampshire in July 2014, Gifford was fined $1,000 for an altercation with another driver. Gifford was also placed on probation for the rest of the year.[11]

NASCAR Nationwide Series

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In August 2013, Gifford made his national series debut at Iowa Speedway for Richard Childress Racing in their No. 33 Menards Chevrolet, coming from the 23rd starting position to finish 9th.[12] In 2014, Gifford was signed to run two races for Biagi-DenBeste Racing at Iowa in May and Kentucky in June.[13] Gifford finished 20th in his only appearance at Iowa.

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series

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NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NNSC Pts Ref
2013 Richard Childress Racing 33 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV IOW MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW
9 		GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 63rd 35 [14]
2014 Biagi-DenBeste Racing 98 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL IOW
20 		CLT DOV MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 67th 24 [15]

K&N Pro Series East

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NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 NKNPSEC Pts Ref
2009 Richard Childress Racing 29 Chevy GRE TRI
17 		IOW SBO
2 		GLN NHA
4 		TMP ADI LRP NHA DOV
2 		19th 617 [16]
2010 Rev Racing 2 Chevy GRE
4 		SBO
4 		IOW
16 		MAR
12* 		NHA
4 		LRP
22 		LEE
19 		JFC
3 		NHA
28 		DOV
19 		9th 1290 [17]
2011 Toyota GRE
13 		SBO
5 		RCH
31 		BGS
10 		JFC
12 		LGY
23 		NHA
12 		COL
14 		GRE
11 		NHA
19 		DOV
7 		10th 1509 [18]
02 IOW
4
2012 2 BRI
3 		GRE
13 		RCH
21 		IOW
17 		BGS
18 		JFC
28 		LGY
18 		CNB
4 		COL
13 		IOW
23 		NHA
12 		DOV
15 		GRE
12 		CAR
7 		11th 413 [19]
2013 BRI
3 		GRE
13 		FIF
9 		RCH
1 		BGS
15 		IOW
21 		LGY
5 		COL
4 		IOW
6 		VIR
21 		GRE
19 		NHA
25 		DOV
28 		RAL
22 		11th 429 [20]
2014 NSM
23 		DAY
20 		BRI
34 		GRE
6 		RCH
22 		IOW
15 		BGS
7 		FIF
18 		LGY
21 		NHA
26 		IOW
27 		GLN
23 		VIR
9 		GRE
8 		DOV
9 		15th 431 [21]
6 COL
5

Camping World West Series

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NASCAR Camping World West Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 NCWWSC Pts Ref
2009 Richard Childress Racing 29 Chevy CTS AAS PHO MAD IOW DCS SON IRW PIR MMP CNS IOW
6 		AAS 51st 150 [22]

References

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  1. ^ McCarter, Mark (February 12, 2013). "Ryan Gifford aiming for victory lane through NASCAR's 'Drive for Diversity' program". Al.com. Winchester, Tennessee: Alabama Media Group, Advanced Digital. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Michelle Gifford". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Winchester, Tennessee. April 7, 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  3. ^ "Bio". Ryan Gifford Racing. Ryan Gifford Racing, Terso. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Ryan Gifford". Hometracks.NASCAR.com. NASCAR. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  5. ^ Thompson, Paula (June 17, 2014). "Fast Facts: Ryan Gifford". Skirts and Scuffs. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  6. ^ Official Release (February 9, 2010). "Drive For Diversity Introduces 2010 Driver Lineup". Hometracks.NASCAR.com. Daytona Beach, Florida: NASCAR. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  7. ^ Associated Press (June 21, 2013). "Winchester, TN native on NASCAR's NEXT roster". wrcbtv.com. Newtown, Iowa: WRCB, AP. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  8. ^ Meredith, Luke (August 1, 2013). "GIFFORD READY FOR LONG-AWAITED NATIONWIDE DEBUT". AP.org. Des Moines, Iowa: The Tampa Tribune, Associated Press. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  9. ^ Kerchner, Mike (April 27, 2013). "Short-Track Roundup: Ryan Gifford, 15-year-old Gray Gaulding turn heads at NASCAR K&N Series race". Autoweek. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Gifford Gets First Win". MRN.com. Motor Racing Network. April 25, 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  11. ^ Long, Dustin (July 16, 2014). "Gifford Ready to Race After Fine Paid". MRN. Mooresville, North Carolina: Motor Racing Network. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  12. ^ Cavana, Alan (August 19, 2013). "News: Meet Nascar's Ryan Gifford". BET.com. BET, NASCAR. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  13. ^ Eddinger, Mark (May 1, 2014). "Ryan Gifford Will Drive Two NASCAR Nationwide Series Races for Biagi-DenBeste Racing". MOTORSPORTS 101. Sports Media 101 Inc. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2009 NASCAR Camping World East Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  17. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  19. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2013 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  21. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Ryan Gifford – 2009 NASCAR Camping World West Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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