Gilliland: ‘You Never Want To Lose A Shot To Gain Respect’

Todd Gilliland (Danny Hansen/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

HAMPTON, Ga. – Todd Gilliland once again made his presence known up front at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but all he got to show for it was a 15th-place finish Sunday.

But results aside, Gilliland and the team led an inspiring performance and left a lasting impression in what was another memorable NASCAR Cup Series spectacle at the 1.54-mile quad-oval.

Speed from the Ford camp carried over from the Daytona 500 into Ambetter Health 400 weekend, beginning with nine “Blue Oval” drivers advancing into the final round of qualifying, including the trio at Front Row Motorsports.

Team Penske swept the top four positions, but next fastest was Gilliland, who made his third consecutive start from the top five at Atlanta.

In the opening stage, the fourth-year NASCAR Cup Series driver for FRM came across as a seasoned veteran, regularly battling the likes of Austin Cindric, Joey Logano and Josh Berry for the lead with confidently calculated maneuvers.

The only hindrance to Gilliland’s efforts in trying to replicate his performance at Atlanta from a year ago, where he led a race-high 58 laps, was a lack of assistance amid a swarm of Penske teammates.

Staying smart and aggressive, Gilliland remained up front after earning four stage points. However, running fourth just past the halfway mark of the race, the right-rear tire on the No. 34 let go during a 27-lap stint.

With third-place finisher Kyle Larson in pursuit behind him in the top lane, the 24-year-old kept his composure, bailed out of the draft, and prevented any damage to himself or others. On his way to pit road, the tire eventually shredded and brought out a timely caution.

Although able to stay on the lead lap, Gilliland was caught speeding, sending him to the tail end of the field with 19 to go in the second stage.

After restarting 35th, Gilliland made an impressive charge through the field to finish 15th at the final stage break, which is ultimately where he stabilized for the remainder of the race.

“Races like this are always frustrating,” said Gilliland. “We brought a fast Aaron’s Rent to Own Ford Mustang Dark Horse, but after we blew that tire, we just weren’t able to get back up front. I’m still proud of this No. 34 group, though. We put on a show and showed everyone that we’re able to compete upfront.

“A big thank you to Aaron’s for showing up in full force. It was awesome to lead some laps and be in contention with the ‘Dream Machine’ in Aaron’s first race back.”

Todd Gilliland (34) battles Austin Cindric at Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Jacob Seelman/Race Face Digital photo)

Gilliland wound up contributing five times to a whopping 50 lead changes – the most ever at Atlanta – and was out front for a total of seven laps. While the numbers may not exactly reflect it, the 24-year-old was a mainstay at the sharp end of the field for a majority of the race.

Perhaps, even more importantly, the fourth-year driver carried himself like a professional while competing with the leaders, in a race which led to conversations about driver etiquette and respect on track.

Runner-up Carson Hocevar had one of the fastest cars all weekend at Atlanta, but was heavily criticized by his peers for his aggression. The reigning Sunoco Rookie of the Year made some impressive moves to challenge for his first win, but also ruffled some feathers, which led to heated post-race exchanges with Ross Chastain and Ryan Blaney.

Going into the on-track action at Atlanta, Gilliland weighed the risk and reward of running up front as opposed to hanging out back at superspeedways, unknowingly providing a response that would be timely and prophetic for what ultimately occurred in the Ambetter Heath 400.

“In my opinion, if we're going to wreck … I’d rather do it at the front and gain that experience and respect from other people,” Gilliland said. “I think that’s still a big thing. Even though I’m going into my fourth year, you never want to lose an opportunity to gain some respect.”

Gilliland will get the chance to build off his commendable performance with another opportunity to run up front and gain respect from his competitors, as the sport returns to Circuit of the Americas – a place he’s won at previously in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The EchoPark Texas Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. ET, airing live on FOX, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.