Joey Gase Moves to Go Green Racing for 2018 Xfinity Season

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer

The 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season marks the return of Go Green Racing. The team will have Joey Gase behind the wheel of the No. 35 Sparks Energy entry. Gase’s move to Go Green Racing is a homecoming as he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with the team in 2011, finishing 20^th at Iowa Speedway.

The Archie St. Hilaire-owned Go Green Racing debuted in 2009. The team ran in the series until the end of the 2013 season. During that tenure, the team competed in 115 races and allowed multiple drivers to make their Xfinity Series debuts. Go Green Racing competed full-time from 2011 through 2013, but never competed for the drivers’ championship.

“It’s been such a pleasure being part of Joey’s career,” St. Hilaire said. “My family has been very lucky to be part of many firsts for Joey’s career and we look forward to creating great memories together again this year. With Sparks Energy, Donate Life, and many of our other great partners on-board, we hope to make the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs and compete with some of the big teams. We see a lot of potential in Joey, and hopefully we can move him up to Go FAS Racing in 2019 with a two-car Cup operation.”

To date, Gase has one top-five and three top-10s in 175 starts. His best finish, fifth, came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2015 for Jimmy Means. Gase’s best finish in the points standings, 20^th, came in 2014.

“Sparks Energy is a great family owned and operated company,” said Gase. “The owners, J and Magen, pour their hearts into the company and treat everyone like family. They’re truly living the American dream. I love their hardworking style and great ethics. It’s crazy to think that my partnership with Sparks all began with a Twitter message. I got an email back from the president of the company and the rest is history. I can’t wait to get to Daytona and run with this great team. I can’t thank Archie and everyone at Go Green Racing enough for the opportunity and Sparks Energy for making it happen.”

Joining Gase at Go Green Racing will be crew chief Patrick Donahue. He worked with Gase at Talladega with BK Racing in 2017. As a crew chief, Donahue led Jeff Gordon to two victories in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He has also accumulated seven top-fives and 10 top-10s in 86 races atop the pit box.

Gase also made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut driving the Hilaire-co-owned Go Fas Racing No. 32 Ford Fusion. In 22 NASCAR Premier Series starts, his best finish in 21st at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last season, driving the No. 15 Sparks Energy Chevrolet SS for Premium Motorsports.

Now Gase, Donahue, and Hilaire will prepare for the season opening PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona February 17.