Posted on by Brandon White

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Veteran Ron Silk endured the entire 2022 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season without visiting Victory Lane.

It took Silk just one race in 2023 to end his dry spell, as he held off Justin Bonsignore in an enthralling late-race battle to claim the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 at New Smyrna Speedway on Saturday night.

Silk knew the cars prepared by Haydt Yannone Racing were always capable of taking home checkered flags, which is why he felt a strong sense of catharsis to finally earn his first victory with the organization.

“It’s always good to win,” Silk said. “I had a great car last season and a lot of chances to win but couldn’t get over the hump. To get it over with in the first race feels good. That’s a lot of pressure off of us.”

The last time Silk visited Victory Lane came at Oswego Speedway in 2021. Nobody could touch Silk in Kevin Stuart’s Modified that evening, as he led a race-high 111 laps before defeating Matt Hirschman by more than two seconds.

RELATED: Complete results from New Smyrna Speedway

Saturday’s triumph would not come as easy for Silk, who needed a late caution to fight his way into the top spot ahead of Bonsignore, Hirschman and the dominant car of the evening in six-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Doug Coby.

Bonsignore pressured Silk during the closing laps before making an aggressive dive into Turn 1 that gave him his first lead of the night. Silk ultimately returned the favor a couple laps later with a similar move, which gave him enough of a cushion to hold off Bonsignore.

Despite being disappointed over his second-place run, Bonsignore was satisfied with a strong performance after a mechanical failure sidelined him at New Smyrna last season after just 31 laps. He also commended Silk for racing him aggressive but clean to settle the season opener.

“We wanted to win, but this was a good start to the year compared to what happened last year,” Bonsignore said. “We made a good adjustment on that last pit stop and freed the car up just a little bit. If we got the lead, I felt like we could have held [Silk] off, but I couldn’t get enough of a gap to prevent him from making that same banzai move on me.

“As soon as you lay the bumper to somebody else, it opens the door for them to do it back to you, and that’s just good, hard racing.”

RELATED: Photos from the Saturday’s Modified Tour opener at New Smyrna

Bonsignore nearly suffered a similar fate to his recent outing at New Smyrna. With 32 laps remaining, a bad entry into Turn 1 by Bonsignore while battling Silk caused him to get turned by Coby, triggering a multi-car pileup that left Bonsignore mostly unscathed and with solid track position.

Now that New Smyrna is behind him, Bonsignore is eager to defend his victory from Richmond Raceway last year as he looks to carry the momentum from Saturday into his fourth NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour title.

“We were pretty frustrated to leave [New Smyrna] last year dead last,” Bonsignore said. “It’s so much easier to kick the season off on a good foot. This was a solid second place run and it makes things easier as we chase points this year. We’ll take this break before Richmond [Raceway] and try to get better.”

Silk also hopes he can add a second NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship to his resume at the end of the year, but he intends to cherish the prestigious 1948 Cup for the time being.


Inspired by the trophy Red Byron received when he won the very first NASCAR race at Daytona Beach, The 1948 Cup was a tremendous reward for Silk, whose own career in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour dates back to 2003.

Silk has always possessed a fond appreciation for Modified racing that includes New Smyrna’s prestigious World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. He is confident his own history in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will include plenty more celebrations long after New Smyrna on Saturday.

“It’s really cool for our team to get this win,” Silk said. “This is one of my favorite tracks, and I love Speedweeks. To have Ben Kennedy from NASCAR come out and present us [the 1948 Cup] with all the history and nostalgia that goes along with it is awesome.”

Hirschman, who was involved in an early collision with Tyler Rypkema, overcame the early adversity to salvage a third-place finish, with Anthony Sesely and Coby completing the top five.

Jake Johnson, Dave Sapienza, Austin Beers, Anthony Nocella and Tommy Catalano were the rest of the top-10 finishers.

A replay of the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 can be seen on CNBC on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. ET.

The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be off for seven weeks before returning to action at Richmond Raceway on March 31 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The race will be streamed live on FloRacing.

Posted on by Staff Report

New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200

New Smyrna Speedway

Nss Primary

  • Race Results
Pos No. Name Sponsor Laps Diff.
1 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 200 —
2 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 200 0.542
3 60 Matt Hirschman PeeDee Motorsports 200 0.713
4 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction, Inc. 200 2.216
5 7 Doug Coby Mayhew Tools 200 3.246
6 3 Jake Johnson* Propane Plus/Lin’s 200 3.543
7 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises 200 3.894
8 64 Austin Beers Dell Electric/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors 200 4.017
9 92 Anthony  Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 200 4.902
10 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprera 200 6.244
11 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 200 7.878
12 5 Kyle  Ebersole Ebersole Excavating Inc. 200 9.439
13 29 Spencer Davis Cove Race Products 199 1 Lap
14 02 Joey Coulter IV SRI Performance, Race Fan, Bilstein Shocks 198 2 Laps
15 46 Justin Brown* Riverhead Building Supply 198 2 Laps
16 34 J.B. Fortin CVA Screen Print/BoatBroke.com/John’s Fuel Oil 198 2 Laps
17 55 Jeremy Gerstner Jerry Hunt Supercenter/T.B.E.S. 198 2 Laps
18 82 Craig Lutz Horton Ave Materials 197 3 Laps
19 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance, MTT, Munn’s Auto 197 3 Laps
20 71 James  Pritchard, Jr. Freeway Auto & Tire Pros 195 5 Laps
21 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One 195 5 Laps
22 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat 190 10 Laps
23 99 Ronnie Williams E.F.A. 189 11 Laps
24 79 Jon McKennedy Middlesex Industries 179 21 Laps
25 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Company 174 26 Laps
26 25 Brian Robie* Maurice Enterprises 174 26 Laps
27 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 169 31 Laps
28 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett, Inc/FX Caprera 168 32 Laps
29 20 Edward McCarthy, Jr. McCarthy’s Marine Sales 149 51 Laps
30 2 J.R. Bertuccio, Jr. Gershow Recycling 145 55 Laps
31 12 Anthony Bello* JB Management 114 86 Laps
32 43 Matthew Kimball* J&M Towing/Poodlack Wealth Mgmt/Post & Beam 79 121 Laps
33 01 Melissa  Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 62 138 Laps
34 07 Patrick Emerling Captain Pips Marina & Hideway 26 174 Laps
35 09 Chris Hatton, Jr.* General Racing Team 19 181 Laps
Posted on by Staff Report

New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200

New Smyrna Speedway

Nss Primary

  • Practice Results
Pos No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed In Lap Laps Diff
1 60 Matt Hirschman PeeDee Motorsports 17.611 102.209 4 26 —
2 64 Austin Beers Dell Electric/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors 17.723 101.563 3 26 0.112
3 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprera 17.756 101.374 4 11 0.145
4 99 Ronnie Williams E.F.A. 17.77 101.294 11 12 0.159
5 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 17.789 101.186 2 31 0.178
6 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 17.801 101.118 10 45 0.19
7 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 17.808 101.078 3 31 0.197
8 2 J.R. Bertuccio, Jr. Gershow Recycling 17.81 101.067 11 16 0.199
9 7 Doug Coby Mayhew Tools 17.812 101.055 2 36 0.201
10 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett, Inc/FX Caprera 17.82 101.01 2 22 0.209
11 82 Craig Lutz Horton Ave Materials 17.834 100.931 14 15 0.223
12 07 Patrick Emerling Captain Pips Marina & Hideway 17.859 100.79 2 25 0.248
13 34 J.B. Fortin CVA Screen Print/BoatBroke.com/John’s Fuel Oil 17.86 100.784 23 23 0.249
14 92 Anthony  Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 17.863 100.767 16 19 0.252
15 79 Jon McKennedy Middlesex Industries 17.865 100.756 26 27 0.254
16 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises 17.888 100.626 3 42 0.277
17 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 17.901 100.553 33 33 0.29
18 3 Jake Johnson* Propane Plus/Lin’s 17.903 100.542 4 55 0.292
19 25 Brian Robie* Maurice Enterprises 17.941 100.329 31 33 0.33
20 29 Spencer Davis Cove Race Products 17.961 100.217 4 16 0.35
21 5 Kyle  Ebersole Ebersole Excavating Inc. 17.961 100.217 2 33 0.35
22 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance, MTT, Munn’s Auto 17.979 100.117 12 18 0.368
23 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Company 17.991 100.05 16 38 0.38
24 43 Matthew Kimball* J&M Towing/Poodlack Wealth Mgmt/Post & Beam 17.997 100.017 4 65 0.386
25 46 Justin Brown* Riverhead Building Supply 18.014 99.922 23 24 0.403
26 20 Edward McCarthy, Jr. McCarthy’s Marine Sales 18.026 99.856 10 21 0.415
27 02 Joey Coulter IV SRI Performance, Race Fan, Bilstein Shocks 18.039 99.784 4 20 0.428
28 12 Anthony Bello* JB Management 18.053 99.706 21 34 0.442
29 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One 18.059 99.673 19 21 0.448
30 71 James  Pritchard, Jr. Freeway Auto & Tire Pros 18.064 99.646 7 20 0.453
31 55 Jeremy Gerstner Jerry Hunt Supercenter/T.B.E.S. 18.207 98.863 14 16 0.596
32 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat 18.211 98.841 10 37 0.6
33 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction, Inc. 18.358 98.05 3 3 0.747
34 41 Kevin Shea Colonial Tire & Towing 18.689 96.313 6 8 1.078
35 01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 18.774 95.877 13 22 1.163
36 9 Chris Hatton, Jr.* General Racing Team 18.792 95.785 10 22 1.181
Posted on by Staff Report

New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200

New Smyrna Speedway

Nss Primary

  • Practice Results
Pos No. Name Sponsor Best Tm Best Speed In Lap Laps Diff
1 54 Tommy Catalano FX Caprera 17.636 102.064 3 46 —
2 76 Jimmy Blewett John Blewett, Inc/FX Caprera 17.686 101.775 4 26 0.05
3 60 Matt Hirschman PeeDee Motorsports 17.701 101.689 14 14 0.065
4 2 J.R. Bertuccio, Jr. Gershow Recycling 17.71 101.637 4 12 0.074
5 51 Justin Bonsignore Phoenix Communications Inc. 17.721 101.574 11 42 0.085
6 79 Jon McKennedy Middlesex Industries 17.749 101.414 5 37 0.113
7 82 Craig Lutz Horton Ave Materials 17.752 101.397 5 17 0.116
8 58 Eric Goodale GAF Roofing 17.759 101.357 4 26 0.123
9 02 Joey Coulter IV SRI Performance, Race Fan, Bilstein Shocks 17.765 101.323 4 20 0.129
10 19 Anthony Sesely Wanick Construction, Inc. 17.772 101.283 6 36 0.136
11 07 Patrick Emerling Captain Pips Marina & Hideway 17.779 101.243 2 14 0.143
12 25 Brian Robie* Maurice Enterprises 17.787 101.198 17 52 0.151
13 5 Kyle  Ebersole Ebersole Excavating Inc. 17.792 101.169 4 24 0.156
14 32 Tyler Rypkema Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting 17.81 101.067 5 20 0.174
15 16 Ron Silk Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes 17.82 101.01 5 26 0.184
16 46 Justin Brown* Riverhead Building Supply 17.822 100.999 7 42 0.186
17 7 Doug Coby Mayhew Tools 17.827 100.97 10 51 0.191
18 92 Anthony  Nocella Nocella Paving/K and D Associates/Airgas 17.829 100.959 2 16 0.193
19 64 Austin Beers Dell Electric/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors 17.833 100.936 3 27 0.197
20 3 Jake Johnson* Propane Plus/Lin’s 17.885 100.643 8 33 0.249
21 20 Edward McCarthy, Jr. McCarthy’s Marine Sales 17.894 100.592 11 31 0.258
22 29 Spencer Davis Cove Race Products 17.901 100.553 2 13 0.265
23 34 J.B. Fortin CVA Screen Print/BoatBroke.com/John’s Fuel Oil 17.944 100.312 10 33 0.308
24 22 Kyle Bonsignore Chalew Performance, MTT, Munn’s Auto 17.959 100.228 17 20 0.323
25 99 Ronnie Williams E.F.A. 17.969 100.173 15 25 0.333
26 24 Andrew Krause Supreme Manufacturing Company 17.997 100.017 6 45 0.361
27 43 Matthew Kimball* J&M Towing/Poodlack Wealth Mgmt/Post & Beam 17.997 100.017 4 39 0.361
28 12 Anthony Bello* JB Management 18.003 99.983 8 40 0.367
29 36 Dave Sapienza Sapienza Enterprises 18.06 99.668 11 49 0.424
30 18 Ken Heagy Buoy One 18.175 99.037 3 21 0.539
31 26 Gary McDonald Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat 18.478 97.413 8 39 0.842
32 71 James  Pritchard, Jr. Freeway Auto & Tire Pros 18.544 97.066 7 21 0.908
33 55 Jeremy Gerstner Jerry Hunt Supercenter/T.B.E.S. 18.766 95.918 11 14 1.13
34 01 Melissa Fifield Pine Knoll Auto Sales 18.801 95.74 16 22 1.165
Posted on by Brandon White

Opening night for the 2023 edition of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway was a race against the rain.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Mother Nature ended up winning the evening after just one feature. Rain forced track officials at New Smyrna to cancel the remainder of on-track activities, wiping out planned races for the Super Late Model, Pro Late Model, Florida Modified and Bomber A divisions.

RELATED: Follow the World Series of Asphalt on FloRacing

Derek Griffith, a two-time Super Late Model champion in the World Series of Asphalt, claimed Friday’s lone victory in the 35-lap Sportsman feature. He started the race from the pole and did not face any pressure as he added another Word Series of Asphalt accomplishment to his resume.

Kody Brusso charged through the field after starting on the third row and finished second behind Griffith. Time Sozio placed third, with Adam Briggs and Danny Frye completing the top-five finishers.

A busy day of racing is ahead for the World Series of Asphalt on Saturday, with the 200-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event serving as the headliner on a docket that consists of Pro Late Model, Sportsman, Bomber A and Florida Modified features.

Posted on by Press Release

NASCAR 75 Years book coverExplore the thrilling illustrated story of NASCAR stock car racing in America with this stunning celebration filled with evocative photography, legendary drivers, and a decade-by-decade history.

NASCAR 75 Years captures the greatest moments throughout the decades: from the beaches of Daytona to the jaw-clenching competition, the mind-bending technology, the triumphs, the teamwork, and the high-speed thrills. Large-format photography from throughout NASCAR history brings it all to life alongside narratives written by a roster of veteran NASCAR reporters and historians.

Follow NASCAR’s growth from a small, innovative family business to a leader in sports entertainment, witnessed each week by millions in person and on national television. The authors show the evolution of the vehicles—from modified family sedans to 700-horsepower race-built behemoths, all the way through the “Next Gen” cars that debuted in 2022—and celebrate the drivers who have piloted them around tracks like Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Las Vegas, and more —legendary heroes with names including Flock, Weatherly, Petty, Allison, Yarbrough, Earnhardt, Waltrip, Gordon, Stewart, Johnson, Busch, all battling wheel to wheel, week after week, across the United States.

This beautifully designed and extensively illustrated book provides the ultimate history of the legendary series, celebrating the drivers, crew chiefs, pit crews, owners, and tracks, from the earliest days on Florida’s beaches right through to today’s superspeedways, short tracks, and road courses. Compiled by authors with a passion for motorsport, NASCAR 75 Years is a volume no fan can be without.

— Motorbooks —

Posted on by Staff Report

Kaulig Racing announced Friday that Kyle Busch will drive the No. 10 Chevrolet in five NASCAR Xfinity Series races this season, marking his return to the circuit.

The Matt Kaulig-led organization plans to field the No. 10 Chevy for Busch starting with the series’ March 4 race at his hometown track — Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kaulig officials indicated that Busch would also drive the No. 10 Camaro at Phoenix Raceway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Darlington Raceway, with sponsorship to be announced later.

RELATED: Busch also announced Truck Series schedule

Fellow Cup Series drivers AJ Allmendinger, Austin Dillon and Justin Haley are among the rotating cast tapped to drive the No. 10 as part of Kaulig’s 2023 Xfinity campaign. The organization’s full-time championship hopefuls are newcomer Chandler Smith (No. 16) and the returning Daniel Hemric (No. 11).

Busch is ready to set sail for his first Cup Series season with Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet after his 15-year tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota ended last year. His shift in manufacturer allegiances opened the door for his first events with the Kaulig group, which shares a technical alliance with Childress.

“I’m looking forward to having some fun in the Xfinity Series again,” Busch said in a team release. “What Matt Kaulig and (team president) Chris Rice have built in just a few short years at Kaulig Racing is impressive, and with the team’s alliance with Richard Childress Racing, this made for an easy decision to be back competing in a series that I’ve had success in over the years.”

MORE: Full Xfinity Series schedule

Busch, 37, is the all-time wins leader in the Xfinity Series with 102 career victories, but he did not compete in the tour last season. His most recent appearance came in 2021 when he won all five of his Xfinity Series starts. Busch signaled his return in a brief video on social media, stating “I’m back,” before Kaulig Racing’s formal announcement.

Posted on by Staff Report

Fans itching to pick up NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour merchandise will be in for a treat starting with Saturday’s season opener at New Smyrna Speedway.

NASCAR has partnered with E2 Apparel to produce a line of apparel specifically for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. The apparel line will feature items for men, women and children.

A merchandise trailer featuring the exclusive merchandise line will be on hand for approximately half of the 19 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour races this season beginning with the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau 200 on Saturday night at New Smyrna Speedway.

Tracks will have the option to sell merchandise when the E2 Apparel trailer isn’t on site.

Available merchandise will include, t shirts, hoodies, hats and more. Fans are encouraged to visit the E2 Apparel merchandise trailer this Saturday to check out all available apparel options.

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

Editor’s Note: Today’s Hendrick Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2023 Cup Series season, ranked in reverse order of best finish in last year’s owner standings.

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-crew chief pairings: Kyle Larson-Cliff Daniels (No. 5), Chase Elliott-Alan Gustafson (No. 9), William Byron-Rudy Fugle (No. 24), Alex Bowman-Blake Harris (No. 48).

RELATED: Hendrick Motorsports’ wins by driver

Team outlook: The winningest team in NASCAR history didn’t miss a beat in the first year of the Next Gen vehicle. Hendrick Motorsports won a series-high 11 races in 2022, seeing all four of its full-time drivers in Victory Lane at least once. Based on its storied success, there appears no reason Hendrick should take a step back in 2023. With champions Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson still in tow along with the ever-improving duo of William Byron and Alex Bowman, the team only looks to be getting stronger.

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 CHEVROLET

Experience: 10th full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: Seventh in final standings; 3 wins, 13 top fives, 19 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 7-1

Outlook: Larson took home three checkered flags in 2022 and entered Phoenix with a chance to bring Hendrick Motorsports an owners’ championship. It was a continuation of the success he found in 2021, earning 10 points-paying wins plus an All-Star Race triumph en route to his first championship – all in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. His wins a season ago came on three different styles of tracks – the 2-mile oval at Auto Club Speedway; a road course at Watkins Glen International; and a 1.5-mile oval at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But those victories also came months apart from each other. The No. 5 team led by crew chief Cliff Daniels will eye a bit more consistency this season to end closer to its ’21 success.

MORE: Kyle Larson through the years | Every Larson victory 

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 CHEVROLET

Experience: Eighth full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: Fourth in final standings; 5 wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 7-1

Outlook: Elliott enters the season as the winningest driver of the Next Gen era so far, scoring a series-best five victories in 2022. Like Larson, Elliott seemed to find Victory Lane on a variety of track types with wins at Dover, Nashville, Atlanta, Pocono and Talladega. The five-time Most Popular Driver has made the Championship 4 in each of the last three seasons and has scored at least two victories in each of the last five years. His early accomplishments in a new car only bolster expectations heading into what could be another fruitful year ahead.

MORE: Chase Elliott through the years | Every Elliott win | All angles of Elliott’s new scheme

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 CHEVROLET

Experience: Sixth full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: Sixth in final standings; 2 wins, 5 top fives, 11 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 12-1

Outlook: Byron’s 2022 campaign produced a mixed bag of results. In one aspect, it was a career year, leading 746 laps, scoring multiple wins for the first time in his career and earning a personal-best points finish of sixth. But the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet regressed elsewhere, dropping to five top fives and 11 top 10s after netting 12 and 20, respectively, in 2021. Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle proved they are capable of grand accomplishments when they put a full race together. The key this year will be doing so on a regular basis.

MORE: William Byron through the years

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 CHEVROLET

Experience: Eighth full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series.
2022 stats: 16th in final standings; 1 win, 4 top fives, 12 top 10s
2023 championship odds (BetMGM): 22-1

Outlook: Bowman was the only Hendrick driver not to win multiple races in 2022 and had a dismal summer stretch where he finished 32nd or worse four times in a six-week span, all due to damage. But don’t let those numbers detract from what Bowman is capable of. Greg Ives, the only Cup crew chief Bowman’s worked with, departed for other roles inside Hendrick Motorsports, leading Blake Harris atop the pit box of the No. 48 team. Harris was handpicked for the job and led Michael McDowell to a career year at Front Row Motorsports last season. Bowman netted a career-best four wins, eight top fives and 16 top 10s in 2021; the question is whether he can relocate that success entering a contract year at Hendrick Motorsports.

MORE: Every angle of Bowman’s new Ally schemes | Alex Bowman through the years

NASCAR.com 2023 team previews schedule

Jan. 23: Non-chartered and teams outside the top 30
Jan. 24: Spire Motorsports
Jan. 25: Wood Brothers Racing
Jan. 26: JTG Daugherty Racing
Jan. 27: Front Row Motorsports
Jan. 30: Kaulig Racing
Jan. 31: RFK Racing
Feb. 1: Legacy Motor Club
Feb. 2: Richard Childress Racing
Feb. 7: 23XI Racing
Feb. 8: Stewart-Haas Racing
Feb. 9: Joe Gibbs Racing
Feb. 10: Hendrick Motorsports
Feb. 13: Trackhouse Racing
Feb. 14: Team Penske

Posted on by Zach Sturniolo

On Tuesday, Front Row Motorsports announced Zane Smith will drive the unchartered No. 36 Ford in the Daytona 500 before driving the No. 38 Ford in six additional NASCAR Cup Series races this season.

While the news is great for Smith, Todd Gilliland — who drove the No. 38 entry full-time in his 2022 rookie campaign — was left blindsided by the organization’s decision.

MORE: Full details on Smith’s promotion | 2023 Cup schedule

The 22-year-old entered the offseason expecting to return with another full schedule ahead in 2023. Instead, Gilliland is set to be sidelined at Phoenix Raceway (March), Talladega Superspeedway (April), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May), Sonoma Raceway (June), Texas Motor Speedway (September) and the Charlotte Roval (October) in favor of Smith.

“They didn’t just tell me. This was a couple months ago,” Gilliland told reporters in a Thursday media conference. “I think the hardest thing was just kind of expecting to be full-time and then just kind of felt like it came out of nowhere.”

The immediate next steps were figuring out what races Gilliland would miss for Smith to pilot the car. Smith enters as the defending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and impressed in his Cup debut at Worldwide Technology Raceway in the No, 17 RFK Racing Ford with a 17th-place finish.

In his rookie season, Gilliland earned a best finish of fourth at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in addition to his second career top 10 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished seventh in October. The stats don’t lie: The North Carolina native struggled in comparison to veteran teammate Michael McDowell, who netted a career-best 12 top 10s and 16.7 average finish in 2022, bettering Gilliland’s 23.2 average finish by over six positions.

Still, Gilliland, the son of former racer and current TRICON Garage owner David Gilliland, expected to be back behind the wheel of the No. 38 Ford for another opportunity to learn and improve in 2023.

“Really, there wasn’t much talk about it at all, that’s the tough part,” Gilliland said. “It was just, [the] expectation was running full-time, and then it was just, this is kind of what we have and what we’re gonna have to do. So I guess that was a shock.”

RELATED: Preview Front Row’s 2023 season 

Gilliland is free to explore other opportunities to round out the six races he’s slated to miss, but he can only compete in a Ford per his contract, Gilliland said. That also extends to the lower-tiered series, preventing him from competing for TRICON, a Toyota team, in the Truck Series.

Gilliland said Thursday “it seems like we’re getting close on some stuff” to fill his current Cup Series gaps.

The North Carolina native is also still friends with Smith, who despite booting Gilliland from the ride remains a teammate at Front Row. Smith was still part of Gilliland’s wedding in January after the two were made aware of the team’s 2023 plans.

“I haven’t spoke to him since [the news] actually came out,” Gilliland said. “But I’m sure we’re still gonna be friends. It’s a tough business. It’s something that I mean, Marissa, my new wife, talked about. It’s hard to be friends with people that you’re competing against every single week. I’ve even ran into (good friend) Harrison Burton, and you’re bound to have stuff happen, whether it’s on the race track, stuff like this.

“It is tough. But, you know, at times, you just have to separate the life aspect of it and work. But like I said, it is tough.”

There also comes a curious balance in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 16 (7 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). Should both Gilliland and Smith end up in the same duel, how does Gilliland convince himself to help push Smith into the Daytona 500?

For Gilliland, being a good teammate still reigns supreme no matter the circumstances.

“That’s gonna be tough, but I don’t know, I think you have to push him,” Gilliland said. “I have to be a good teammate, right? Like there’s a lot to be said about that in this industry and I’m sure that’ll go a long way. So that’s still my plan, be a good teammate, be as helpful as I can to help the whole organization.

“They’ve still done so much for me, still doing so much for me this year. And, you know, this still isn’t just a breakup for the future, either. You know, there’s still nothing said that we can’t continue this in the future. So I think my best bet is still to be a good teammate, a good part of this organization.”

The NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the 65th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 19 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).