Matt Johnson
A majority of dominos in NASCAR silly season have already fallen, but one of the biggest remaining uncertainties has been what Front Row Motorsports will do in the Cup Series for the 2027 season. On Friday, the team announced its first big move on the driver side.
Front Row Motorsports announced it has signed driver Todd Gilliland to a contract extension, ensuring he’ll remain behind the wheel of the No. 34 car in the Cup Series next season.
Gilliland, who turned 26 years old in May, is having modest success this season. He enters the weekend 24th in points (353) and is coming off consecutive top-20 finishes at Chicagoland Speedway (16th) and EchoPark Speedway (19th). Even more impressively, he’s advanced to the final four in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge with a matchup at North Wilkesboro Speedway against Chase Elliott.
Front Row Motorsports has now shown its long-term commitment to a pair of its Cup Series drivers. Zane Smith landed a multi-year contract extension in 2025 that will keep him behind the wheel of the No. 38 car for the foreseeable future. While Gilliland’s future with the team was slightly uncertain, Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports reported in June that sponsor Love’s and team owner Bob Jenkins are big fans of his and a re-signing was likely.
That ensures two drivers will be returning to the three-car team in the Cup Series for 2027, but one uncertainty remains. Noah Gragson hasn’t performed well this season and while he has a personality that sponsors like, he’s also publicly suggested that he’s racing for his job in 2026. If Front Row Motorsports moves on from him, it could offer either of Truck Series drivers Layne Riggs or Chandler Smith a full-time ride in the Cup Series next year.
