Top Dog: Noah Gragson
Remember FOX Sports’ preseason advertisement for the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021 when Circuit of the Americas was added to the schedule for the first time?
“Austin is weird, man,” was echoed by the voiceover in the television spot.
In its fifth appearance on the schedule, this year’s showing at the Austin, Texas-based track (March 2) was filled with ringers and Cup regulars who have honed their skills on road courses. Even among the underdogs, road course winners such as AJ Allmendinger and Michael McDowell, rising stars like Carson Hocevar and Todd Gilliland, and even the debut of a highly touted prospect (more on that later), were the heavy favorites to be the top dog.
But that weirdness of Austin reared itself again, and as a result, Noah Gragson surprised fans and came out on top of his class with an eighth-place finish.
Track position is key on road courses, and Gragson initially started behind the eight ball, launching from 17th. That disadvantage grew when Gragson spun in turn 1 on lap 5, further validating the team’s decision to flip the stage and have him pit before the end of stage one. Gragson finished the opening frame in 33rd.
While stage two featured more of the same strategy-wise, it was the final stage where the No. 4 came to life. After flipping the stage again, Gragson commenced the final stretch just outside the top 10. It didn’t take him long to find it though, which included a fierce battle with Hocevar that involved contact between the two in turn 6A.
After flirting with the top 10 back and forth, the Las Vegas, Nev. native began to spur his Ford Mustang even more. A caution with 18 laps to go allowed Gragson to kick off the final restart in 10th, opening the door for the chrome horn. Gragson put that to use, bumping Ross Chastain out of the way to get sixth, and eventually, the top five.
How about Noah Gragson? Up to 5th! #NASCAR
— Bryan Nolen (@TheBryanNolen) March 2, 2025
A couple of drivers were able to get by the Front Row Motorsports driver in the closing laps, but he held strong to close the deal and seal his first top 10 with the team.
The top-10 showing is Gragson’s first since a ninth-place run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last season when he was driving for the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. Road courses have been a slouch for the third-year driver (more on that later, as well), making this result even more significant when considering the talent arsenal Gragson possesses.
A road course top 10 and laps led in the Daytona 500 are good starts for a driver looking to find stability quickly. Early returns show that we could be in for a treat from the flamboyant driver.
Notable Underdog Runs
FRM has savored road course success the last couple of seasons when veteran Michael McDowell was with the team, and young talent Gilliland began to tap into his potential. The pairing recorded three road course races where both finished in the top 10 in the same race over three seasons.
While McDowell has departed for Spire Motorsports, that didn’t stop Gilliland from carrying a 1-2 punch into COTA, as he clinched a top 10 in 10th.
Gilliland started from 10th but quickly lost track position after the first turn looked like the Texas Revolution on lap 1, ending with Gilliland getting pinned by a spinning Chase Elliott.
Battling repairs and lost track position, adversity struck harder when Gilliland was hit with a track limits penalty on lap 66. Fortunately, the late caution aided his cause, and he too wasn’t afraid to get aggressive to score a top 10.
Todd Gilliland sends it on Ross Chastain to finish P10 at COTA pic.twitter.com/kM1VU2RC6o
— Matt Spalding (@MattJBasketball) March 3, 2025
A former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winner at the track, Gilliland scored his second top 10 in four starts at COTA.
Right behind the former student was his former tutor, McDowell, who earned his second 11th-place finish in three starts.
A penalty that may have seemed harmful ended up helping McDowell. Hit with a penalty on lap 17 for his pit crew being over the wall too soon, McDowell got out of the strategy line many were running. However, that allowed him stay out and collect eight stage points in stage two, as well as leading the field to green for the final stage.
The 40-year-old eventually had to pit, but he was able to recover to just miss out on a top 10.
In one of the noisiest weeks of his young Cup career, Hocevar had a lot of attention on him this week after ruffling some feathers at Atlanta Motor Speedway a week ago. Yet, while the 22-year-old acknowledged the growth he needs, he vowed to stay true to his style and aggression, saying he races for “me, myself, and I.”
He had a close call from the drop of the green, nearly turning Bubba Wallace when he stepped out of line as the field barreled towards turn 1. From there though, Hocevar remained aggressive, yet calculated, making big moves at times while staying modest at others.
Hocevar was in the top 10 for much of the race before the field shuffled in the final stage. The Spire driver opted to pit during the last caution, nearly leading to a second consecutive top 10. For a young driver who faced a lot of scrutiny the past seven days, he handled it like a veteran, leading to promising things to come.
Allmendinger looked like a prime candidate for the win as he charged through the field and into the top five during stage two. The Kaulig Racing driver sliced and diced his way to second to open the final frame, looking to claim control of the race. The Dinger remained in the top five and in position to pounce when the final caution flew.
That’s when disaster struck.
Team believes the set of tires on the @CelsiusOfficial Chevy is a “bad set of tires.”
— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) March 2, 2025
The team made no changes in air pressure, but the tires feel very off.
Team would love to get tires but depends on how many others pitting behind us… which is hard to predict. 😬
Despite a valiant attempt to manhandle the car to a top 10, the ill tires commenced an absolute avalanche through the field for Allmendinger, who finished 30th. It was a brutal blow to a driver who, though he has four more opportunities, is relying heavily on the road courses to punch his ticket to the playoffs.
Remember that young talent I mentioned earlier? That would be Connor Zilisch, making his Cup debut in Trackhouse Racing’s No. 87. A driver who was born after Pixar’s Cars was released (and right as I started kindergarten), the 18-year-old phenom made plenty of people check for gray hairs.
A day after winning his second NASCAR Xfinity Series race in just seven starts, Zilisch got a rude welcome to the Cup Series when he and Denny Hamlin collided in the very first turn, cutting Zilisch’s tire.
After battling hard to get back in the hunt, we got a slight taste of Zilisch’s potential when he drove from the back of the field to 14th in stage two.
Unfortunately, that display was short-lived, as Zilisch’s Trackhouse teammate, Daniel Suarez, spun right in his path on lap 50.
The No. 99 goes around and collects @ConnorZilisch! pic.twitter.com/xwH575jTPe
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 2, 2025
It was a sudden, disappointing end to a run shaping up to be special, but it is just the opening paragraph in a book many are excited to watch unfold concerning Zilisch’s career.
Stat to Chew On
Seven and 11. What do those numbers tell us?
Well, COTA was Gragson’s seventh career start on a road course at NASCAR’s premier level, and a lucky number seven it turned out to be. Gragson’s previous best result on the twists and turns was 11th, coming at Watkins Glen International in 2024.
With his eighth-place result, which was the best among the FRM trio, Gragson has logged a top 10 at nearly every track type, with short tracks remaining the lone outcast.
Underdog Power Rankings
1. Hocevar (–): As the series heads to more traditional tracks, we will continue to get a look at how much Hocevar has progressed. A strong run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last fall brings a lot of optimism when the series returns there in two weeks, and all eyes will see how Hocevar handles himself in the coming weeks.
2. Gilliland (+3): A top 10 at COTA is a step in the right direction for a driver who has become known for consistency. Phoenix Raceway hasn’t been his best track, but his continued growth could change that.
3. McDowell (+1): Now sitting eighth in points, McDowell could capture early momentum to string a season together similar to 2023, one where he was in position to point his way into the playoffs before winning his way there.
4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (-1): An 18th-place showing could have been a lot worse for a driver who is not known for his road course prowess. With a busy slate of ovals on the agenda, we will learn a lot more about Hyak Motorsports in the coming weeks.
5. Gragson (NR): A road course top 10 could speed up the trajectory of Gragson’s growth in his first season with FRM. The next step? Score a top 10 at Phoenix, a track where he has finished 12th in three starts.
Small Team Scheme of the Week
Last week, it was Aaron’s? This week, Red Bull? Are we in 2008 again?
Look who’s charging through the field. 👀
— Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) March 2, 2025
P20 // Lap 31 // @redbull pic.twitter.com/zS9K8uwn6A
Not only did COTA mark the highly anticipated debut of Zilisch, but it also saw the return of Red Bull on a Cup car. The global energy drink brand sported its fan favorite design on Zilisch’s No. 87, the first time a Red Bull Cup car was on track since 2011 when Red Bull Racing shuttered its doors at the end of the season.
The design was simple but sleek, and it will return for five races with Shane van Gisbergen this season.
Luken Glover joined the Frontstretch team in 2020 as a contributor, furthering a love for racing that traces back to his earliest memories. Glover inherited his passion for racing from his grandfather, who used to help former NASCAR team owner Junie Donlavey in his Richmond, Va. garage. A 2023 graduate from the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is the author of "The Underdog House," contributes to commentary pieces, and does occasional at-track reporting. Additionally, Glover enjoys working in ministry, coaching basketball, playing sports, and karting.