Gilliland, sponsor return to Front Row for 2015

The re-signing means the 38-year-old driver will mark his ninth full season in NASCAR's top division and his sixth with team owner Bob Jenkins. The team also announced that Love's Travel Stops will be the team's primary sponsor in 18 races, up from its 15-race sponsorship in 2014.

Gilliland struggled last year with just two top-20 finishes in 36 races, but he did post a milestone at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July with the team's first Coors Light Pole Award. He also helped the Statesville, North Carolina-based team achieve its first win in NASCAR's premier series at Talladega Superspeedway in the spring of 2013, providing an aerodynamic push to teammate David Ragan in the final lap.

This season will mark the third consecutive year of Front Row's relationship with Love's. The team indicated through its news release that the travel center corporation, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, will be the primary sponsor at the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Among the other races for the Love's team colors: both annual events at Texas Motor Speedway and the series' two road courses, Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

"I am beyond excited about Love's commitment to our program and to growing it each year," Gilliland said. "What I'm most proud of is the simple fact that it's working. Our program does exactly what a NASCAR partnership is supposed to do. It's been hugely successful, for us and for them. I can't wait to see what we can do as a team this year."

Gilliland has one career victory in NASCAR national series competition. His 2006 triumph in an underfunded entry at Kentucky Speedway in what is now the XFINITY Series was not only one of the sport's biggest upsets, but also paved the way for his big break into stock-car racing's major leagues.

See the paint scheme for the No. 38 Ford below.