Jones Scores Top-Five Finish in Regular Season Finale at Daytona
Joe Gibbs Racing Teammates Taylor Gray and Brandon Jones Qualify for Chase Field
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 28, 2026) – Brandon Jones was the top-finishing Toyota with a fifth-place result in Friday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) race at Daytona International Speedway. Harrison Burton joined Jones in the top 10 with an eighth-place finish at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway.
Taylor Gray joins Jones in the 10-driver Chase field, who will compete for the NOAPS championship in the final nine races of the season.
TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS)
Daytona International Speedway
Race 24 of 33 – 250 miles, 100 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Ryan Sieg*
2nd, Austin Hill*
3rd, Carson Kvapil*
4th, Anthony Alfredo*
5th, BRANDON JONES
8th, HARRISON BURTON
26th, TAYLOR GRAY
27th, DEAN THOMPSON
35th, BRENT CREWS
37th, WILLIAM SAWALICH
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
BRANDON JONES, No. 20 Menards/Sylvania Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
What is your reaction getting out of here with a top-five and making the Chase field?
“I want to first start by thanking Sylvania, Barracuda Pumps and Menards for an awesome season up to this point. I think today was even a really good way to kind of cap the regular season off. It’s a lot of momentum to be able to finish top five here at this track and even got stage points throughout the day too. I know it wasn’t higher than we kind of wanted to, but still, just executed the day really well. I think we kind of majorly did what we needed to do aside from go win the race. But a top five any day is really strong here. So, I hate our other two didn’t make it, but cool to see the 54 (Taylor Gray) as well get in. But now onward and forward. We’ve got a lot of really good tracks in this Chase that benefit this 20 team specifically a lot. I’m excited. We’re kicking it off with Darlington, where we’ve been so strong before and had multiple wins and a few poles. It’s nice to go in there with a lot of confidence, knowing exactly how to get it done at that racetrack.”
TAYLOR GRAY, No. 54 Homes For Our Troops Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 26th
Is making the Chase the biggest positive you’ve had this season after a trying year?
“Yeah, first of all thank you to everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota Racing. We had Home For Our Troops on the car and they are here this weekend. We had a great race car today and it sucks because I wish I could’ve challenged and fought for a better position – a top five or whatever it may be. Just once we got past that stage 2 the bigger picture got a bit brighter. To answer your question, yeah, I think it does. We’ve had a lot of speed this year and shame on me for putting us in this position going into Daytona. We could’ve won a handful of races that I’ve given up, and I’ve tried to learn a lot.”
BRENT CREWS, No. 19 Yahoo Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 35th
How frustrating was it to not even have a shot at the Chase after being involved in an early incident?
“Yeah, it’s definitely frustrating, but ultimately, I put myself in that position when I cost us 20 points at Iowa. So, it goes back to all the ifs and what’s and buts, but I know it happened for a reason. This team worked so hard, and I’m so grateful to be in the position that I am with them. It’s amazing having Yahoo on board. I wish we could’ve had a better run for them. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and to drive a great race car. I’m excited to finish out the year strong.”
WILLIAM SAWALICH, No. 18 SoundGear Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 37th
How do you summarize how today’s race ended for you?
“Just tried to make the three wide work there in the top lane and I think the 17 (Corey Day) thought about blocking me and came down and wasn’t clear at the time. I hate it for the team. We worked really hard after Chicagoland to make up the point deficit, I spent a lot of time in the simulator, and it just ended like this.”
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