Analysis: GMS Racing is going toe-to-toe with KBM in Trucks

But just how big was it? It turns out, pretty big.

GMS, which only began fielding Truck entries in the 2013 season and didn’t field a full-time entry until 2015, already appeared to be on the fast-track to success.

In a very short period of time, however, the organization is now rivaling Kyle Busch Motorsports in terms of on-track performance.

Last season alone, GMS drivers won six of the 23 races in Trucks and team driver, Johnny Sauter, captured the series championship behind the strength of three of those wins.

Coming out of the box swinging

With the offseason change to Hendrick Motorsports engines, GMS wasted little time showing dominance in the 2017 season opener at Daytona International Speedway as well.

At times, all four GMS entries ran up front and three – Grala, Sauter and Spencer Gallagher – led laps before Grala emerged the winner after a wild wreck erupted on the last lap.

“I know the past year they've been making a statement for themselves quickly, solidifying themselves as the top team in the Camping World Truck Series, which is not easy to do and certainly not easy to do in as few years as they’ve done it so far,” Grala said of GMS.

“I had a blast being with them last year and being a part of this organization, so coming into 2017, I was pretty psyched about being with these guys again. It's a great group of people. It's a really great family environment over there. Everybody enjoys it. Everybody has fun.”

By comparison, KBM – which owns the most victories in series history (56) – won 11 races last season and also had a driver, Christopher Bell, in the Championship 4 competing for the series championship.

A similar approach

Since the team's start in 2014, GMS Racing has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication.

While team owner Kyle Busch is responsible for much of KBM’s success, he has also used his organization to develop and provide opportunities for young NASCAR racing talent.

GMS seems to be mimicking KBM’s approach, and now, some of its success.

What Grala, 18, enjoys most about the GMS organization is the atmosphere.

“At the end of the day, the sport is about winning and the sport is about success, sponsorship, all that, but it's got to be fun,” he said. “We all do this because it's fun. It's way too hard of work to do it if it wasn't fun.”

Team owner Maury Gallagher credits general manager Mike Beam for much of the team’s recent success.

“Mike has been around for 40-some years in this business, and we were very fortunate to hook up,” Gallagher said. “Our saying over the door going into the shop is, ‘Who are those guys?’”

It hasn’t taken NASCAR fans very long to find out.