Top Dog: Todd Gilliland
Of all the tracks NASCAR visits, Darlington Raceway is the absolute best for underdogs. While having a fast car is very important, a good driver can make up a difference in equipment at The Track Too Tough to Tame. The abrasive and narrow surface wears tires like a cheese grater, and the day-to-night transition can make a car handle completely different.
This year’s Southern 500 (Sept. 6) was dominated by the top teams, but there were a few underdog standouts inside the top 20. Todd Gilliland in particular had a good night. Running a large part of the race within the first 20 spots, he was the highest-finishing car for Front Row Motorsports on Sunday night, and he received his best finish since North Wilkesboro Speedway in July.
The Climb to the Top
With weather canceling qualifying, the field was set by NASCAR’s qualifying metric, a weighted average that uses a team’s owner’s standings position (weighted 30%) and their most recent finish (weighted 70%). With Gilliland’s 19th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and the No. 34 car’s 22nd-place owners points position, the team had a metric score of 19.9, ranked 21st.
After starting outside the top 20, Gilliland slipped back to 24th in stage one. In a caution-free stage two, Gilliland made it to 19th, and he held off leader Christopher Bell to stay on the lead lap.
Gilliland ran long during the first pit cycle in the final stage. He was running in the lead and yet to pit when teammate Zane Smith spun out, bringing out the yellow. Gilliland pitted for tires and restarted in 11th.
He remained in the top 15 for the next 26 laps before the next caution came out. With 50 laps to go, cars could pit and make it to the end on fuel. The No. 38 pit crew held position in the pits, with Gilliland exiting pit road in 15th.
After a restart and another caution for rain, the No. 34 team made a strategy call by pitting Gilliland for tires, along with the majority of the lead lap cars, in search of extra speed for the finish. In the end, Gilliland finished in 16th for the Southern 500.
Looking Ahead
For starters, Gilliland had a tough end to the summer. He finished no better than 19th after getting an eighth-place finish at North Wilkesboro on July 19, over a month and a half ago. With a second consecutive top 20, the No. 34 team can start building some momentum.
Gilliland’s 22nd-place position in the standings is the highest of any FRM driver. If he can maintain his points position, it certainly shows the team his ability. If FRM can continue improving their equipment, like they are, they could have a strong future ahead.
Top Dog of the Lower Series
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Viking Motorsports has been the surprise of the 2026 NOAPS season. With one of their two cars in The Chase, it isn’t shocking to see them in the top 10, but Anthony Alfredo’s performance in its No. 96 Chevrolet was a step above.
Alfredo spent almost the entire race inside the top 10. He finished sixth in the first stage, and he drove away from the field on pace to win stage two. After losing spots on pit road and the restart to begin the final stage, Alfredo lost track position, but he held strong to finish sixth. Already a decent result, the car was still capable of more. It was arguably VMS’ and Alfredo’s best performance to date.
Small Team Scheme of the Week
Rick Ware Racing driver Cody Ware entered Darlington with a fabulous black-and-white livery. The No. 51 Chevrolet, sponsored by ApexFX, had a white front and black rear with blue accents. The black dots at the front of the car gave it a comic book-esque style, and the gold rims topped off the design.
Unfortunately, Ware’s cool suit stopped functioning before the end of stage one. His tumultuous night ended in 36th.
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