Todd Gilliland has signed a contract extension to continue driving the No. 34 Ford Dark Horse for Front Row Motorsports in 2027.
“He’s back,” Front Row Motorsports stated on X.
Gilliland’s Career So Far
The 26-year old has driven for Front Row Motorsports since 2020. In 2020, he became the inaugural driver of the team’s championship Craftsman Truck Series program, piloting their No. 38 truck in 2020 and 2021. In these two seasons, he earned one win, 14 top-5s, and 26 top-10s. When Front Row parted ways with 2021 Rookie of the Year contender Anthony Alfredo, they promoted Gilliland to the No. 38 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Gilliland had a difficult rookie season, only seeing one top-5 and two top-10s before finishing 28th in points. The next season, Gilliland only drove the No. 38 for 30 of 36 races, sharing the seat with current teammate Zane Smith. Despite splitting the season between Front Row and Rick Ware Racing, Gilliland matched his rookie year points finish and earned an additional three top-10s.
This earned him a third season in the No. 38. 2024 was the best season of Gilliland’s cup career, seeing four top-10s and a career best 22nd-place points finish. For the first and only time so far, the North Carolina native led the most laps in a Cup Series race in the spring race at EchoPark Speedway.
Following that season, Gilliland moved to the flagship No. 34 following Michael McDowell’s departure. 2025 saw five top-10s and a second career top-5, but a regression to 27th in points. 20 races into the 2026 season, Gilliland has earned one top-10 and currently sits 24th in points.
Notably, the 26-year old is in the semifinals for TNT’s In-Season Challenge. If he beats Chase Elliott in Sunday’s race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, he will have a strong chance at the million dollar prize. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is arguably Gilliand’s best track, as the driver of the No. 34 has two sixth-place finishes in two starts.
Looking Forward
While realistically out of Chase contention, Gilliland still has plenty to race for. First, he has a chance at the million dollar In-Season Challenge prize. Second, there are still two superspeedway races left this season, both of which provide opportunities for Gilliland to earn his first career win.
From a team perspective, Gilliland has been their longest tenured driver. Keeping him in the seat allows the young team to maintain stability: FRM’s drivers average out to be 27-years old, the youngest multi-car lineup in the NASCAR Cup Series. This lineup could get even younger in 2027, as 28-year old Noah Gragson has been rumored to be out of the No.4 seat. If this happens, 24-year old Layne Riggs is a contender to pilot the car. A team that so consistently makes driver changes needs a rock, and Gilliland has served as that rock since 2025.
“So back. Let’s keep building,” Gilliland said.
