NASCAR: Gase joins BK Racing

Joey Gase will compete in multiple Monster Energy Cup Series races in 2017 for BK Racing.

The organization announced Tuesday afternoon Gase would pilot the No. 23 Toyota driven this year by David Ragan (pictured above) in the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26, the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 19, as well as other events. Best Home Furnishings has joined the team as a sponsor.

"We're thrilled to have Joey and Best Home Furnishings, one of the largest furniture manufacturers, join us for the Daytona 500 in February," said owner Ron Devine in a team release. "It is the largest race of our series and a wonderful event for Joey to debut his BK Racing relationship. We've been watching Joey's growth for quite some time and looking forward to seeing what he can do behind the wheel of a BK racecar."

Gase (pictured) has 13 career starts in the Cup Series, but Daytona will be his first with BK Racing. In 2016, Gase made six starts for Go Fas Racing earning a career-best finish of 32nd at Phoenix in March.

For the past five years, Gase has competed for Jimmy Means in the Xfinity Series. In 142 starts, Gase has one career top-10 finish (Talladega, May 2015) and finished a career-best 20th in points in 2014.

"I cannot put into words how thankful I am for the opportunity everyone at Best Home Furnishings and BK Racing has given me," Gase said. "Racing in the Daytona 500 and the Bristol night race has been a dream of mine since I can remember. It's very exciting to share this experience with everyone at Best Home Furnishings and those who have helped me get to this point in my career."

BK Racing ran two full-time Cup cars in 2016 but has not solidified its 2017 lineup after both Ragan and Matt DiBenedetto left the team last week.

Entering NASCAR for the first time, the CEO of Best Home Furnishings, Glenn Lange, said his family has been involved in the collection of classic and sports cars for decades. According to Lange, the decision to sponsor a car comes from the alignment of the NASCAR fan base with Best Home Furnishing's demographic.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with BK Racing and Joey Gase," Lange said. "Joey is a young, energetic and up-and-coming driver who has shown to be competitive from an early age. His heavy involvement with the non-profit Donate Life exemplifies our shared values and passion to exude excellence in all facets of our business and personal lives."