# Ryan Gifford

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. As a NASCAR's Drive for Diversity member, he last drove the No. 2 Toyota Camry for Rev Racing in the regional K&N Pro Series East. He 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

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.
Gifford began his career in go-karts at the age of eight, competing in the World Karting Association from 2000 to 2004, winning two track championships, and finishing 3rd in national standings in his final season. In 2005, at age 15, he transitioned to stock car racing in dirt late models, earning three poles and four top 5s in his first season. In 2006, Mike Dillon, the son-in-law of Richard Childress and RCR's general manager, noticed Gifford. Gifford would move into the Dillon's North Carolina household in 2008 to compete for RCR and Team Dillon Racing on dirt and asphalt, registering three wins and 20 top 10s 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.

## K&N Pro Series East

In 2010, Gifford was among eleven young drivers selected for NASCAR's recently revamped Drive for Diversity program and piloting the #2 Chevrolet in the K&N Pro Series East. Gifford raced alongside future national series drivers Darrell Wallace Jr. and Paulie Harraka. 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 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. Gifford was joined by a new crew chief, veteran race car driver Mark Green. 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. Gifford would finish 11th in points with four top 5s and six top 10s.
After the Loudon, New Hampshire race 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.

## NASCAR Nationwide Series

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. In 2014, Gifford was signed to run two races for Biagi-DenBeste Racing at Iowa in May and Kentucky in June. Gifford finished 20th in his only appearance at Iowa.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

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

#### Nationwide Series

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 | |
| 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 | |

#### K&N Pro Series East

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 |
| 2009 | Richard Childress Racing | 29 | Chevy | GRE | TRI 17 | IOW | SBO 2 | GLN | NHA 4 | TMP | ADI | LRP | NHA | DOV 2 | | | | | | 19th | 617 |
| 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 |
| 2011 | Rev Racing | 2 | 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 |
| 2011 | Rev Racing | 02 | Toyota | | | | IOW 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 1509 |
| 2012 | Rev Racing | 2 | Toyota | 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 |
| 2013 | Rev Racing | 2 | Toyota | 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 |
| 2014 | Rev Racing | 2 | Toyota | 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 |
| 2014 | Rev Racing | 6 | Toyota | | | | | | | | | | | COL 5 | | | | | | | | 15th | 431 |

#### Camping World West Series

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 | |