Front Row Motorsports
Car No. | Driver | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
34 | Michael McDowell | Ford |
36 | Kaz Grala | Ford |
38 | Todd Gilliland | Ford |
Front Row Motorsports, which humbly opened its NASCAR Cup Series program in 2004 under the banner of a part-time team named Mach 1 Racing, has turned up the wick in recent years. Heading into the 2024 season, the Bob Jenkins-owned outfit has gone from the little team that could to a team on the verge of being a weekly top-10 contender.
Heading into 2024, Front Row Motorsports has four victories on the team's record book, the first of which came at Talladega Superspeedway in 2013 as David Ragan utilized incredible teamwork from his FRM stablemate David Gilliland to win the race. The two David's helped FRM slay the goliaths of the sport that day.
Chris Buescher was the first driver to take Front Row Motorsports to the Playoffs as he achieved the feat with a win in the fog-shortened event at Pocono Raceway in 2016. Michael McDowell joined the organization heaing into the 2018 season, and the journeyman driver and the underdog organization grew together.
Eventually, McDowell scored his first career win for the team on the biggest stage in the 2021 Daytona 500, which secured McDowell his first career Playoff berth. Two years later, McDowell added a second win as he topped Chase Elliott to win on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course to lock in his second-career Playoff berth in 2023.
For the 2024 season, Front Row Motorsports will have McDowell back in the No. 34 Ford Mustang, Todd Gilliland in the team's No. 38 entry, and Kaz Grala will pilot a part-time third entry (No. 36) in the season-opening Daytona 500.
McDowell will not return to the organization in 2025 as he is set to move to Spire Motorsports as the driver of the No. 71 entry. However, Front Row Motorsports will be in more than capable hands after McDowell's departure.
Gilliland, who has competed admirably for the team since the 2022 season, has improved with each passing season, and he will remain with the organization on a multiyear contract. He'll be joined by Noah Gragson, who will move over from Stewart-Haas Racing, and the team will expand to a three-car program as it acquired a Charter during the 2025 season. The driver of the third car will be announced at a later date.
Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.