Front Row Motorsports faced a challenging race at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, March 1, 2026, with all three drivers fighting through adversity in Race 4 of the NASCAR Cup Series season. The Front Row Motorsports race report highlights how Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith navigated the demanding 95-lap event, each bringing home a finished car despite several hurdles along the way in Austin, Texas.
Mixed Finishes for Front Row Motorsports in Austin
Todd Gilliland started his run from 17th position and finished 21st after completing all 95 laps, notching crucial points, particularly with a 4th-place finish in Stage Two. Gilliland acknowledged both the team’s strengths and areas needing refinement during the race weekend, stating,
“While it’s not where we want to be, it’s nice to have finished a race,”
said Gilliland.
“We struggled with overall handling and had a mishap on pit road, but we were still able to finish Stage Two with some points and brought home a top-25. There’s some things we need to clean up before Phoenix, but I’m confident we can continue to chip away at the points gap.”
Gilliland sits 30th in the standings, eager to build on this performance next week in Phoenix.
Noah Gragson’s day started from the 35th spot but he managed to climb up to a 22nd place finish, maintaining his determination through difficult circumstances. After scoring 37th in Stage One and 35th in Stage Two, Gragson expressed pride in his crew’s perseverance.
“It was a battle all weekend,”
said Gragson.
“We didn’t hit on what we needed off the hauler on Saturday and had to take some swings to make it better during the race. Not the finish we hoped for, but I was proud that we kept fighting throughout the day. We will move on and get ready for Phoenix next week.”
Gragson now occupies the 18th position in the overall standings.
Zane Smith, starting strong from 11th, faced early handling challenges and ultimately finished 33rd. Despite an encouraging 13th place finish in Stage One, his momentum was interrupted in Stage Two and a costly incident during a restart undid his advances. Smith recapped his race experience, explaining,
“Started off really loose, chattering the tires, just no rear grip. Worked on it all day, got inside the top ten and thought we would manage a decent points day and just got cleaned out in Turn 1 on a restart. Thankfully we got off to a hot start in points, and I believe we can rebound from this weekend at Phoenix where we had some good speed last season.”
Smith holds 14th in the current FRM points standings.
Front Row Motorsports: Building Towards the Future
Founded by Bob Jenkins in 2004, Front Row Motorsports has built its reputation as a competitive force in NASCAR, winning the prestigious 2021 Daytona 500 and securing the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., the team competes in both the NASCAR Cup and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, fielding multiple entries including the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 cars. As the season progresses, the organization’s experience and accomplishments set a foundation for their drivers to rebound from difficult weekends and aim for stronger performances.
Significance of the Circuit of the Americas Results
The Circuit of the Americas Grand Prix underscored the unpredictable nature of the NASCAR Cup Series, testing drivers’ adaptability and resilience over nearly three hours of intense competition. For Front Row Motorsports, having all three drivers finish despite various obstacles provides both encouragement and a clear roadmap for improvement. With a focus on learning from the mishaps at Austin, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, and Zane Smith direct their attention to the Phoenix race, determined to capitalize on past successes and close the points gap as the 2026 series continues.
