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[Editor’s note: The following article is from Athlon Sports’ 2025 Racing Annual magazine. Order your copy online today, or buy one at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]
Not every young driver who enters the Cup Series is an overnight success. While it’s true some youngsters win right away, the learning curve is steep, especially for a driver racing for a team that doesn’t have money to burn.
As Todd Gilliland enters his fourth full-time season in NASCAR’s top division with Front Row Motorsports, it feels like he’s making exactly the progress he should as part of an organization with a smaller budget than the powerhouse teams.
FRM made the playoffs in 2021 and 2023 while posting solid race results. In fact, it’s arguably the best of the smaller teams in the garage – and Ford has noticed, upping its factory support dramatically. The organization still lacks enough big-name sponsors to go around, but it isn’t racing with plain white cars, either.
Todd Gilliand 2024 stats
| Starts | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles | DNF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
36 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
Following the departure of longtime veteran Michael McDowell, Gilliland moves to the stable’s flagship No. 34 team with continued backing from Love’s Travel Stops, among others. That’s a nice vote of confidence for a driver who is just 24 years old entering the season.
And this youngster has time to grow, with his first three years tracking the pattern a young driver should. Gilliland has improved each year in average finish, average start, and finishing races as well as lead-lap finishes. That steady growth indicates Gilliland has soaked in information while learning from McDowell’s veteran support.
By the end of 2024, Gilliland had upped his average finish by three spots compared to his 2022 rookie campaign. That launched him from 28th to 22nd in points, the fourth-best result since FRM first entered the Cup Series in 2005.
Gilliland led a career-best 130 laps last year. While not a huge number, it’s more than Alex Bowman, Chase Briscoe, or Harrison Burton – all of whom raced in the playoffs. The more experience and confidence Gilliland gets racing up front, the easier it will become for him to do it more often.
You could even make the case 2024 turns out differently if Gilliland wins the Daytona 500 or Atlanta the following week; he led 74 laps combined in those events. From there, Gilliland wound up with just four top 10s, but he ran better than those finishes show.
Todd Gilliand career stats
| Years | Starts | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 |
108 |
0 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
FRM’s internal consistency, the key to their growth, is challenged in 2025 by fresh faces. Gilliland will have a new crew chief in Chris Lawson and two new teammates. With the additions of Noah Gragson and Zane Smith, suddenly it’s Gilliland having the most experience in Cup, assuming McDowell’s “veteran” role on the team. Will he be ready for it?
Overall, what you see with Gilliland and the No. 34 team is what you get: a decently talented and still very young driver paired with a mid-tier team hoping to grow with him. We’ll see if they do.
The Todd Gilliand file
Car: No. 34 Ford
Team: Front Row Motorsports
Crew chief: Ryan Bergenty
Years with current team: 4
Best points finish: 22 (2024)
Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Born: May 15, 2000
Scouting report
Anonymous takes from drivers, crew chiefs, and assorted industry insiders:
Todd took a big step this year,” says one Cup Series crew chief. “They’re in the top 20 every week and it wasn’t that long ago that he was struggling to win Truck Series races – and that was in Kyle Busch’s trucks. It seems like he’s building confidence and has found a good home.”
“I love racing with Todd,” says a fellow driver. “He’s clean, you know what to expect of him, and is totally professional. I hope he gets more opportunities because he’s turned into a really good racecar driver.”
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TODAY'S BEST
Why the Championship 4 Format No Longer Works for NASCAR
The checkered flag has fallen on what might be the last Championship 4 weekend we’ll ever see, and frankly, it couldn’t come soon enough. What happened at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday wasn’t just heartbreaking. It was a perfect example of everything wrong with NASCAR’s current playoff system. Denny Hamlin had that championship in his hands. Three seconds ahead with five laps to go, driving the race of his life when it mattered most. Then William Byron’s tire went flat, the caution flew, and everything Hamlin had earned over 306 laps got wiped away in an instant. That’s not racing determining a champion, that’s chaos masquerading as competition. The Heartbreak That Defines This Format The raw emotion after Sunday’s race told the whole story. Kyle Larson, despite winning his second Cup Series title, looked shell-shocked as he told reporters that “a large part of me feels really bad and sad” about how he claimed the championship. William Byron approached Hamlin on pit road, placing a hand on his shoulder to apologize for the flat tire that changed everything. Most telling of all was Hamlin’s devastated admission: “In this moment, I never want to race a car again.” These aren’t the words you hear after a fair fight. This is what happens when a format prioritizes manufactured drama over genuine competition. Hamlin dominated that race in a way that should have locked up the title in any reasonable championship system. Instead, he watched helplessly as a restart lottery decided his fate.The Championship 4 format was supposed to reward clutch performances in the biggest moments. Hamlin delivered exactly that until the format itself betrayed him. How Ford’s Strategy Exposed the System’s Flaws What made Sunday even more frustrating was watching Ford teams execute a perfectly legal but championship-altering strategy. With Toyota and General Motors staying out of the title fight between Hamlin and Larson, Ford teams saw their chance. They flooded the field with cars on fresh tires or no tires at all, turning what should have been a straightforward duel into a chaotic restart mess. Ford had zero interest in who won the championship. They wanted to win the race. So three Ford teams took different tire strategies, creating the traffic that allowed Larson to sail around the outside in turn one while Hamlin got boxed in behind struggling cars. This perfectly illustrates the fundamental problem with the Championship 4 format. The championship isn’t decided by the four best drivers racing each other. It’s decided by how 36 different drivers and teams choose to play their cards. Ford’s strategy was brilliant for their goals, but it had nothing to do with determining the most deserving champion. The Broader Pattern of Undeserving Champions Sunday’s chaos wasn’t an isolated incident. It’s become the norm under this format. Just look at the recent championship winners who’ve been crowned despite mediocre seasons. Joey Logano won his third title last year with the worst average finish of any Cup Series champion in history. That’s no mistake. That’s a feature of a system that rewards getting hot for four races instead of sustained excellence. The Championship 4 format consistently produces these hollow victories. Drivers can sleepwalk through the regular season, catch lightning in a bottle for the playoffs, and suddenly they’re champions. Meanwhile, drivers like Hamlin, who show consistent excellence, have their hopes dashed by random cautions and restart chaos. This isn’t about taking anything away from drivers like Larson, who would be a deserving champion in almost any other format. It’s about a system that creates awkward moments in which winners feel guilty about their championships and runners-up question whether they want to keep racing. Beyond the Cup Series: Chaos Everywhere The problem wasn’t limited to Sunday’s Cup race either. The Truck Series and Xfinity Series Championship 4 races showed the same flaws in action. Connor Zilisch collected 10 trophies during the regular season but lost the championship to Jesse Love, who had one great final run. Corey Heim turned a historic Truck Series season into a title thanks to restart magic. These drivers all deserved recognition for their seasons, but the format warped their stories into something unrecognizable. Love should be celebrated as a rising star with momentum heading into next year. Instead, he’s a champion based on one clutch performance, which somehow feels like both too much and not enough. Light at the End of the Tunnel The one silver lining in all this chaos? NASCAR finally seems ready to acknowledge the problem. After Logano’s particularly hollow 2024 championship, the sanctioning body formed a committee to explore changes to the playoff format. Reports suggest alterations are coming before the 2026 season begins. The next format won’t be perfect, nothing ever is in NASCAR. But anything that moves away from the Championship 4’s winner-take-all chaos will be an improvement. If NASCAR can find a way to reward season-long excellence while still creating compelling championship battles, they’ll have something worth celebrating. Racing Deserves Better Than This The emotions on Sunday perfectly captured why this format has to go. Hamlin’s devastation, Larson’s guilt, and Byron’s apology. None of this should have happened after a championship race. The best driver on the track that day should have won the title, period. NASCAR has always been about competition, but the Championship 4 format has turned the sport’s biggest race into a lottery. Drivers’ seasons shouldn’t be decided by random cautions, restart chaos, or strategic games played by teams with nothing to lose. Final Thoughts The checkered flag has fallen on this era of NASCAR championships. When the new format arrives, hopefully, it will restore some dignity to the process of crowning a champion. After what we witnessed at Phoenix, anything would be better than this.
Matt LaFleur spills the beans on what the Packers really plan to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline
The Green Bay Packers don't tend to be the most active team ahead of trade deadlines. Since general manager Brian Gutekunst took over in 2018, he's never acquired a player in the week leading up to the deadline — on the other hand, he's sold Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Ty Montgomery, Rasul Douglas, and Preston Smith. However, Gutekunst did consider some trades — most notably, wide receiver Will Fuller back in 2020. Ultimately, the price requested by the Houston Texans wasn't right. This is mostly how the Packers will process things ahead of Tuesday's deadline. The roster is good enough The Packers already made two trades right before the season, acquiring Micah Parsons and Darian Kinnard. Asked about potential moves on Monday, head coach Matt LaFleur mentioned that the team doesn't need to add more players to be competitive, but the front office is making sure to evaluate opportunities. "I don't think so, not necessarily," LaFleur said about the need to add pieces. "I know Gutey and the rest of the guys upstairs are doing a great job of looking for things that could potentially help us, and if the right decision is there, I’ve got full confidence he’ll make it." Gutekunst and LaFleur have a close relationship, and the big roster decisions go through both of them, even though the GM has the final call. "We're in constant communication about everything," LaFleur added. While cornerback and defensive tackle were arguably the biggest needs on the roster, the tight end room also became thin with Tucker Kraft's season-ending knee injury. Right now, the only two TEs on the roster are Luke Musgrave and John FitzPatrick — Josh Whyle is on the practice squad and could be promoted or elevated. The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Don't expect big moves from the Packers, but something might happen — and as always, only if the price is right. This article was originally published on A to Z Sports Green Bay, as "Matt LaFleur spills the beans on what the Packers really plan to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline."
Dolphins' Mike McDaniel Reveals Tua Tagovailoa Decision Before Bills Game
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Miami Dolphins have been one of the worst teams in the league. Following the team's 28-6 Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, the Dolphins have fallen to 2-7 on the year, and have seemingly already laid the groundwork for a total rebuild. One day after the loss, the Dolphins announced that they had fired general manager Chris Grier. A change in power at the GM role indicates that no one on the roster is safe moving forward, as whoever is brought in will have ties or allegiances with the current regime. One person who many believed could be at risk of losing his job is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowl quarterback has been a shell of his former self this season, throwing for 1,779 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 picks through nine games. For reference, Tagovailoa's previous career high in interceptions came in 2023, when he threw 14 in 17 games. Head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa in the team's Oct. 19 loss to the Cleveland Browns after he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. While calls have been growing again for Tagovailoa to be sent to the bench once and for all, McDaniel confirmed that he's not entertaining that idea at this time. When speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the team's Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills (6-2), McDaniels confirmed he is not anywhere close to making that decision at this time. "I am far from even going down that direction of would've, could've possible things," McDaniel said. "We have a football game against the Buffalo Bills that we are certain that Tua gives us the best chance to win and we have to approach our jobs with diligence. We have to execute and Tua knows that heavy is crown that of being a franchise quarterback." According to ESPN BET, the Bills have opened as 8.5-point favorites. While Miami looks to stay afloat on the season, the Bills are coming off of a monster win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as they look to make a Super Bowl run this season. As for the Dolphins, they haven't beaten the Bills since 2022, and are 1-9 against them in their last 10. Tagovailoa has been far from spectacular this season, but is clearly being given some grace by McDaniel. With that being said, the Dolphins have a bye in a couple of weeks, and it does cause one to wonder if that is when the Dolphins would end up benching the former Alabama star if things don't turn around.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals: Inactives for Week 9 matchup
The Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1) have released their inactives for the Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals (2-5). Dallas will be missing a few key players and shared the final update on a key offensive lineman. Ahead of the Monday night contest, the Cowboys activated center Cooper Beebe off the reserve/injured-designated to return list. Beebe was listed as questionable for the game and has not played since suffering an ankle injury in Week 2 against the New York Giants. Another injury move the Cowboys made on Monday was placing linebacker Jack Sanborn on injured reserve. He suffered a concussion in Week 5 against the New York Jets and had a groin injury in the game against the Denver Broncos last week. With Sanborn being placed on injured reserve, the Cowboys elevated running back Malik Davis from the practice squad to the active roster. Additionally, Dallas elevated DB Zion Childress and TE Princeton Fant from the practice squad for Monday night’s game against the Cardinals. The Cowboys might be dealing with injuries, but they are in need of wins since they are on the outside looking in when it comes the playoffs. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb believes the Cowboys can turn things around with a win against the Cardinals. “As for us, as a team, I know we all have the same mind. We’re all very understanding of what’s going on, and the situation that we’re in. We’re putting ourselves in it,” Lamb said, per Mickey Spagnola of Dallas Cowboys.com. “So urgency, nah, it’s always been there to win a couple of games back-to-back and continue on that road. … But I feel we haven’t done that yet. I feel if we start here this weekend on Monday night with a win, bye week, then come off the bye week ready to roll.” Dallas Cowboys Week 9 inactives S Alijah Clark RB Jaydon Blue DT Mazi Smith S Donovan Wilson OL Ajani Cornelius WR Jonathan Mingo OL Hakeem Adeniji Arizona Cardinals Week 9 inactives QB Kyler Murray CB Elijah Jones LB Xavier Thomas OL Demontrey Jacobs OL Josh Fryar DL Bilal Nichols
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