[autotag]Gio Ruggiero[/autotag] is taking a step to the next level in NASCAR. On Monday morning, [autotag]TRICON Garage[/autotag] announced that Ruggiero will drive the No. 17 truck full-time during the 2025 NASCAR Truck Series season. TRICON Garage needed to replace Taylor Gray, who is moving to the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time at Joe Gibbs Racing.
The 18-year-old driver is regarded as one of Toyota’s top NASCAR prospects and now earns an opportunity with the manufacturer’s best Truck Series organization. Ruggiero has never driven in NASCAR’s top 3 levels, and doesn’t have much experience. Over the last two seasons, Ruggiero has 23 ARCA starts across three different levels.
The next chapter of the No. 17 starts now.
Welcome to TRICON, @Gio_Ruggiero1 🙌 pic.twitter.com/NMEUlfiR8l
— TRICON (@TRICONGarage) December 2, 2024
TRICON Garage’s decision may seem like a surprise, but it’s clear that Toyota thinks highly of Ruggiero. In his 10 ARCA Menards Series starts, he has seven top-5 finishes and nine top-10 finishes. Ruggiero may take some time to develop in the Truck Series, but his future is expected to be really bright at TRICON Garage moving forward.
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