Front Row Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Front Row Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means
and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005. The team fields the #34 Taco Bell
Ford Fusion for David Gilliland
, the #38 Long John Silver's
Ford Fusion for Travis Kvapil
, and the #55 Ford Fusion for J.J. Yeley.
The team also has a partnership with Max Q Motorsports to field the #37 for Tony Raines
with Todd Bodine
driving the car as the #98 Lucas Oil
Ford. At the time, the team was owned by Chris Edwards and was known as Mach 1 Racing. Bodine finished 41st after dropping out within sixteen laps. Bodine drove in eight races with the team that year, along with his brother Geoffrey, Larry Gunselman
, Randy LaJoie
, Chad Chaffin
, and Derrike Cope
filling out the driving duties that year, driving a total of 26 races.
In 2005 the team changed numbers to #34 and planned to run full time, but due to sponsorship limitations and lackluster performance by LaJoie, the team only ran a limited schedule. Although it attempted many races, two drivers (Ted Christopher
and P. J. Jones) qualified for a race with the team that year, each with a start apiece. In the fall of 2005, their website announced that the team was up for sale, but that was quickly rescinded. Later that year, Front Row Motorsports moved into their shop to operate the #34 in addition to their current team.
The combined team began running at the 2006 Daytona 500
. Randy LaJoie
attempted but failed to qualify for the first two races. The team ran the #64 at Daytona but switched back to #34 for the second race at California Speedway
. Lajoie and teammate Chad Chaffin
swapped rides the next week in Las Vegas and Chaffin would drive for the next eight races. Chaffin would then return to FRM's other car after Kevin Lepage
's departure for BAM Racing
, one week after FRM purchased the owner points from Peak Fitness Racing
and renumbered the #92 to #61. Chad Blount
would then take over the #34 car for two races, however he was unable to get into the field and was released. Carl Long
, Greg Sacks
, Mike Skinner
would attempt the next three races with Skinner making the 3M Performance 400 and finishing 37th on the lead lap. Johnny Miller
returned to FRM to run the road course at Infineon
. After Blount's release, Long, Sacks, Chaffin, Brian Simo
, Kertus Davis
, Skinner, and Joey McCarthy
attempted races for the team, with Long qualifying at Bristol
. Lepage drove the car for the rest of the season and made Martinsville
.
The car attempted full time status in 2007 with Lepage, but after missing the first four races, the team decided to go part time with Andretti and Chaffin. Lepage swapped places with Andretti and Lepage at the #37 so that Lepage could continue full time. Chaffin later left the team in early 2007. They tried to make another attempt to run the #34 at Texas Motor Speedway with myAutoloan.com as the sponsor, but they failed to qualify for the race.
The 2008 season began with the #34 planning to run a full season. The team made the Daytona 500 with Andretti behind the wheel and Makoto's Ginger Dressing brand as the associate sponsor, and manufacturer's support from Chevrolet
. Andretti left the team to race in the Indianapolis 500
with Roth Racing
and eventually decided to continue in the series. Tony Raines
qualified for his first race of the season in the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS at Dover but finished 40th after transmission failure. The #34 Chevy ran part-time after that, with Chad Chaffin attempting the final races for the team in 2008.
In 2009, John Andretti
was the full-time driver for the car, and the team entered into a partnership with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
. The #34 team received owner's points from EGR's defunct #15 team, becoming locked in for the first 5 races of the season. For the Daytona 500, Window World joined as the primary sponsor, EGR's Steve Lane would be the crew chief for the team, and some of EGR's crewmen tended to the car. The team finished 19th in the race. Window World ended up joining the team for the first five races of the season. The team ran EGR engines at the Daytona 500 and at the spring Atlanta race, using Pro Motors
Engines otherwise. Steven Lane served as the full-time crew chief and some of the EGR crew became permanent employees. Beyond Window World's involvement, the team ran mostly unsponsored; team owner Bob Jenkins has used the space on the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS to advertise his Taco Bell restaurants while seeking for a new primary sponsor. Andretti missed two races while he ran the Indianapolis 500
, and teammate Tony Raines took his place for those events. Raines quickly earned the team's best solo effort finish to that point with a 25th place at Darlington. With John back at the wheel, the team finished 16th at the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, along with numerous other top-30 finishes throughout the year. At Michigan, race sponsor Carfax
jumped aboard the #34 Chevrolet as the primary sponsor. The team remained in the top-35 for the entire season which guaranteed the team starts the first five races of 2010.
For 2010, Travis Kvapil
was the primary driver of the #34 Long John Silver's
Ford, with the team switching to the Ford Racing
banner with Roush/Yates providing engines and support for the team. Steve Lane returned to the Long John Silver's team with Kvapil. John Andretti drove the #34 in the Budweiser Shootout and the 2010 Daytona 500 with Window World as the primary sponsor, with Kvapil driving the #37 Extenze Ford in place of rookie teammate Kevin Conway. Kvapil and the Long John Silver's team's best finish of 2010 was an 18th at Talladega in the spring in the #34, and the #34 finished 33rd in owners points after Kvapil, Andretti (both with the LJS crew), Kevin Conway, and Tony Raines (both with the Extenze / A&W Crew) ran races with the number.
In 2011, David Gilliland will return to Front Row Motorsports running the #34 Taco Bell Ford for the full season. He would go on to finish 3rd in the 2011 Daytona 500
, 9th in the 2011 Aaron's 499
, and 12th in the 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350
. These three finishes are Front Row Motorsports top 3 finishes in team history, as well as first top 5 finish and first top 10 finishes.
with Stanton Barrett
driving, but it did not qualify. After missing the next three races, the team finally got into a race at the Food City 500
at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Barrett finished 41st after suffering oil pressure problems. After the spring Dover
race, Tony Raines
drove the car at the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway
, finishing 35th. Then Hermie Sadler
and Eric McClure
began sharing the ride, although McClure did not qualify for a race in the car. Johnny Miller
ran the car at Watkins Glen, finishing 29th. Another driver, Chad Chaffin
, also took over driving duties, failing to qualify in his initial attempt at Martinsville Speedway
, and then qualifying 43rd the next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway before surrendering the car to Bobby Hamilton Jr.. Late in the year, the team formed an equipment-sharing partnership with Mach 1 Racing
, and that eventually turned into the team moving into Mach 1's shop and hiring their old crew.
Chad Chaffin
began the 2006 season with the #92 team, however after two races he was moved to the #34 team. Chad Blount
would then take over the car until Talladega where FRM decided the team shut down the #92 operation. The team just made one of the eight races it attempted and cited lack of performance as a reason for the team's shut down. In April 2006, Front Row Motorsports purchased the owner points of Peak Fitness Racing
, and renumbered the #92 to Peak's #61. The team originally hired Peak's driver Kevin Lepage
to drive however, after just one race, Lepage left Front Row Motorsports, heading to BAM Racing
. Chad Chaffin
took over the #61 car after Lepage's departure. Brian Simo drove the #61 car for the road course at Infineon
. At the second road course of the season at Watkins Glen
, Front Row Motorsports lease out the #61 owner points to No Fear Racing
and entered the #92 with Johnny Miller , but he failed to qualify. After Watkins Glen, the team ran as #61 for the remainder of the season. Chaffin ran most of the rest of the races with Stanton Barrett
driving the car at Dover and Lepage made the race at Atlanta.
The team partnered with #37 of R&J Racing
in 2007, however the deal fell through early in the season, although Front Row retained the team's owner's points and car number. Bill Elliott
attempted Daytona for the team and John Andretti
and Chad Chaffin
planned to race the car full time. After race 4, Front Row Motorsports announced the #34 would run full time, and that Andretti and Chaffin would swap positions with Lepage so that Lepage could continue full time. Lepage failed to qualify twenty-five times and left before the end of the season. The 37 attempted the 2008 Daytona 500
with Eric McClure
and sponsor Hefty
, but the team failed to qualify.
The team returned to the track for the 2009 Daytona 500
with Tony Raines driving, inheriting the points from the #34 from the year before as a result of the merger with EGR, but did not qualify. The team has attempted other races since then, making the race at Richmond, and finished the race in 41st only after running 74 laps. They were awarded no points for the race because of being a late entry. The team also made Dover, however a flat tire early in the race ended the teams run and they finished 42nd. Kevin Hamlin
attempted to make his Sprint Cup debut in the #37 at Kansas, however did not qualify for the race. Travis Kvapil
DNQ'd at Lowes Motor Speedway. The #37 was mostly a start and park
entry in 2009, although the team ran the full race at Daytona with Tony Raines when they picked up sponsorship from Gander Mountain
, and also Homestead with Travis Kvapil
when Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort sponsored the team after David Stremme failed to qualify in the Phoenix Racing entry. Scott Egglestion crew-chiefed the car for the majority of 2009, with Buddy Sisco acting as chief during the Coke Zero 400
and Peter Sospenzo joining the team during the second half of the season.
For the 2010 season, the #37 became a fulltime Ford team and rookie Kevin Conway
was scheduled to drive the #37, with his longtime sponsor Extenze
coming onboard, with Peter Sospenzo as Crew Chief. The team started in the Top 35 after acquiring owner's points from former Doug Yates cars. Kvapil drove the #37 in the 2010 Daytona 500, as NASCAR did not give Conway approval to compete at Daytona due to lack of superspeedway experience. Conway was unable to keep the car in the top-35 in points, so he, his sponsor, and crew (which is referred to as the Extenze/ A&W crew) would jump to whatever number was highest in points at the time to ensure he and his sponsor would qualify. Conway would eventually be released from FRM, ExtenZe removed from the car, he and his sponsor sued for lack of payment, and was replaced with a rotation of NASCAR veterans Tony Raines
and Dave Blaney
. A&W All American Food would be displayed on the car in ExtenZe's absence, another Jenkins franchise. Peter Sospenzo & his crew remained with the A&W car until Atlanta in September, when Sospenzo and his crew moved over to the Taco Bell car of David Gilliland
. Randy Seals and the former Taco Bell crew moved over to the A&W team. The #37 car would wind up 33rd in owners points, with Conway having a best finish of 14th at Daytona (one of only 4 finishes better than 30th for him), Blaney having a best finish of 24th at Atlanta, and Raines with a best finish of 28th at Bristol (he was running top-20 at Martinsville before a flat tire ended his day). Gilliland also ran the number occasionally with his Taco Bell crew.
For 2011, Robert Richardson Jr. returned to drive the Daytona 500 in the #37 with his fathers company, North Texas Pipe, sponsoring the ride. Driver Tony Raines
spotted for him during the race. After Daytona, FRM struck a deal with Larry Gunselmans Max Q Motorsports to manage the #37 for the remainder of the year. Gunselman later purchased all assets of the team and FRM is no longer involved in the #37.
as the primary driver and Robert Richardson, Jr. sharing the ride for at least 3 races throughout the year. Randy Seals comes from Richard Petty Motorsports as crew chief. Richardson ran the 2010 Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Mahindra Tractors, with Gilliland displaying Taco Bell for the other races. The team formed an alliance with Doug Yates in February 2010 and earned Top 35 exemptions for the first five races of 2010 from a former Yates Racing
entry. Gilliland and his Randy Seals lead Taco Bell crew swapped between the #38 and #37 throughout the season. Kevin Conway and Dave Blaney ran races under #38 with the ExtenZe/A&W crew, and Kvapil ran races with the #38 and his LJS's crew. At Pocono in August, with Kvapil and his then crew chief Steven Lane in the #38, it was determined the car had an illegal valve stem in one of the tires, resulting in a 150 point deduction for the #38 car, the suspension & fining of crew chief Steven Lane, suspension of car chief Richard Bourgeois and tire specialist Michael Harrold. Steven Lane was released from the team soon thereafter and replaced by Brian Burns on the LJS's team. The number never regained top-35 status finishing 36th in points. Gilliland and his Taco Bell crew had a best finish of 19th twice, at Martinsville and at Sonoma.
For 2011, Travis Kvapil returns to FRM to drive the #38 Long John Silvers Ford, however Kvapil is running for the Camping World Truck Series championship. The #38 is locked into the field following Daytona, as Penske Racing
's/Rusty Wallace Racing's #77 did not run past Daytona and in turn gave up its locked in spot to the #38. Bill Henderson joined FRM as crew chief of the #38 following a stint at Prism Motorsports in 2010, however parted ways with the team following the race at Las Vegas. Jay Guy joined as crew chief at California.
Thus far in 2011 Kvapil has missed two races due to duties in the Truck Series. Sam Hornish, Jr.
drove at Pocono. J.J. Yeley drove at Loudon. Yeley and Kvapil would share the ride in an attempt to get the 38 into the Top 35, depending on which driver had sponsorship. At the end of the season, the 38 did get back into the Top 35 and finished 35th, despite three DNQs.
driving the #24 Hefty
Chevrolet, with a best finish of 15th at Talladega Superspeedway
. The team also attempted to buy out the fledging Specialty Racing
team, for a time fielding the #61 Cone Solvents Chevrolet with driver Kevin Lepage
. However, after the July race at Daytona
, Specialty Racing hired Brandon Whitt
to drive the #61, and returned to Ford, disregarding the supposed buyout, leading Front Row Motorsports & Kevin Lepage to file a lawsuit against the team. McClure, meanwhile, finished the year 21st in points. McClure left the team at the end of the 2008 season, bringing sponsor Hefty
and the #24 to Team Rensi Motorsports
.
In 2009, Front Row Motorsports ran the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS with veteran Tony Raines
returning to the series full time. Scott Eggleston crew-chiefed the car, who has been with FRM since 2007. The entry was mostly unsponsored, with Jenkins advertising his Long John Silver's
franchises on the car. Raines and his team were able to drive to 4th at the Aaron's 312
at Talladega Superspeedway
, FRM's first ever top-ten or top-five in either series, in addition to a fifteenth place finish at Las Vegas and Richmond. Later in the season, he had a sixth place finish in the rain at the NAPA Auto Parts 200
, and a strong 10th place finish at Lowes Motor Speedway, finishing the year 12th in drivers points.
It would be announced that Front Row Motorsports would lease their Nationwide team, running Chevrolets, to TriStar Motorsports in 2010 after FRM's announcement to become a factory backed Ford Team. The partnership lasted for most of the season before FRM ended the deal, taking the Long John Silvers sponsorship to the Sprint Cup Series as A&W, replacing ExtenZe following Kevin Conway
's release.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means
Jimmy Means
James "Jimmy" Means is a former Winston Cup/Nextel Cup owner/driver. Currently, he is an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and owns his own team, Means Racing. He competed in NASCAR for eighteen years in mostly his own equipment, posting seventeen career top-tens...
and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005. The team fields the #34 Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
Ford Fusion for David Gilliland
David Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
, the #38 Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
Ford Fusion for Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
, and the #55 Ford Fusion for J.J. Yeley.
The team also has a partnership with Max Q Motorsports to field the #37 for Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
Bob Jenkins
Bob Jenkins resides in Dandridge, TN and is known for his involvement with three restaurant chains (Taco Bell, Long John Silver's, and A&W) and owns 127 of these franchises. Bob has only closed one restaurant and this was because the lease was up. His family is also the owner of Jenkin's Insurance in Dandridge, TN.Car #34 History
The 34 car made its debut on 2004 at Atlanta Motor SpeedwayAtlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
with Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
driving the car as the #98 Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil Products is a manufacturer and distributor of automotive oil, additives, and lubricants. It was founded by trucker Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte in 1989....
Ford. At the time, the team was owned by Chris Edwards and was known as Mach 1 Racing. Bodine finished 41st after dropping out within sixteen laps. Bodine drove in eight races with the team that year, along with his brother Geoffrey, Larry Gunselman
Larry Gunselman
Larry Gunselman is an American former race car driver. He has made a total over 100 starts and over 2 million in earnings in all three of NASCAR's top divisions...
, Randy LaJoie
Randy LaJoie
Randall LaJoie was a driver in the NASCAR Busch Series , where he is a two-time champion. Presently, he does not have a full-time ride. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.-Early racing career:LaJoie started racing go-karts when he was 12 years old...
, Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
, and Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope
Derrike Cope is a NASCAR driver. He is best known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He currently drives the #28 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series and the #75 Chevrolet/Dodge for his own team in the Sprint Cup Series.-Early years:Cope was born in San Diego, California...
filling out the driving duties that year, driving a total of 26 races.
In 2005 the team changed numbers to #34 and planned to run full time, but due to sponsorship limitations and lackluster performance by LaJoie, the team only ran a limited schedule. Although it attempted many races, two drivers (Ted Christopher
Ted Christopher
Ted Christopher , from Plainville, CT is an American racing driver who has raced and won in many different types of race cars, including Modifieds, SK Modifieds, Camping World East Series, Late Models, Pro Stocks, Midgets, and Supermodifieds. He has also raced in NASCAR's Sprint Cup, Nationwide...
and P. J. Jones) qualified for a race with the team that year, each with a start apiece. In the fall of 2005, their website announced that the team was up for sale, but that was quickly rescinded. Later that year, Front Row Motorsports moved into their shop to operate the #34 in addition to their current team.
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. Randy LaJoie
Randy LaJoie
Randall LaJoie was a driver in the NASCAR Busch Series , where he is a two-time champion. Presently, he does not have a full-time ride. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.-Early racing career:LaJoie started racing go-karts when he was 12 years old...
attempted but failed to qualify for the first two races. The team ran the #64 at Daytona but switched back to #34 for the second race at California Speedway
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
. Lajoie and teammate Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
swapped rides the next week in Las Vegas and Chaffin would drive for the next eight races. Chaffin would then return to FRM's other car after Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
's departure for BAM Racing
BAM Racing
BAM Racing is a NASCAR racing team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team began in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2000, moving to NASCAR in 2001 to 2008 before sitting out 2009 due to the economy...
, one week after FRM purchased the owner points from Peak Fitness Racing
Peak Fitness Racing
Peak Fitness Racing was a former NASCAR team. It was owned by Hermie Sadler from 2001-2004, and Jeff Stec from 2005-2006, before it was sold.The team was formed in 2001 by Hermie Sadler as SCORE Motorsports. Sadler fielded the #13 Ford Taurus sponsored by the Virginia Lottery for three races that...
and renumbered the #92 to #61. Chad Blount
Chad Blount
Chad Blount is an American race car driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent.-Nextel Cup Series:...
would then take over the #34 car for two races, however he was unable to get into the field and was released. Carl Long
Carl Long
James Carlyle Long is a former NASCAR Sprint Cup race car driver and mechanic who is currently returning from suspension after a violation on his car during the 2009 Sprint All-Star Race weekend. Prior to his suspension, he was a crew member on the #34 Front Row Motorsports Cup team...
, Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
, Mike Skinner
Mike Skinner (NASCAR)
Mike Skinner is an American driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is the primary driver of the #60 Big Red Soda Toyota Camry for Germain Racing. He is the father of former NASCAR drivers Jamie and Dustin Skinner...
would attempt the next three races with Skinner making the 3M Performance 400 and finishing 37th on the lead lap. Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller (NASCAR)
Johnny Miller is an American road course racer born in Johnson City, Tennessee on December 25, 1965.Miller has 100 career starts in the Trans-Am road racing series, including two wins and 67 top ten finishes...
returned to FRM to run the road course at Infineon
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
. After Blount's release, Long, Sacks, Chaffin, Brian Simo
Brian Simo
Brian Simo is a race car driver from Carlsbad, California, USA. On the NASCAR circuits, he is a road course ringer who races selected road course races. He drove the #33 Korbel Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing at Infineon Raceway in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in 2005, recording a top ten...
, Kertus Davis
Kertus Davis
Kertus Davis is a NASCAR driver. He is currently the competition director for JD Motorsports.- Prior to NASCAR/USAR :...
, Skinner, and Joey McCarthy
Joey McCarthy
Joey McCarthy is a NASCAR Busch East Series driver. He currently drives the #3 Chevrolet for STI Motorsports. McCarthy has 48 Karting victories and was the New Jersey State Champion in 1987.-NEXTEL Cup Series:...
attempted races for the team, with Long qualifying at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
. Lepage drove the car for the rest of the season and made Martinsville
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
.
The car attempted full time status in 2007 with Lepage, but after missing the first four races, the team decided to go part time with Andretti and Chaffin. Lepage swapped places with Andretti and Lepage at the #37 so that Lepage could continue full time. Chaffin later left the team in early 2007. They tried to make another attempt to run the #34 at Texas Motor Speedway with myAutoloan.com as the sponsor, but they failed to qualify for the race.
The 2008 season began with the #34 planning to run a full season. The team made the Daytona 500 with Andretti behind the wheel and Makoto's Ginger Dressing brand as the associate sponsor, and manufacturer's support from Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
. Andretti left the team to race in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
with Roth Racing
Roth Racing
Roth Racing was a race team owned by Canadian real estate magnate and racecar driver Marty Roth. It competed in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.- 2004-2005 :...
and eventually decided to continue in the series. Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
qualified for his first race of the season in the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS at Dover but finished 40th after transmission failure. The #34 Chevy ran part-time after that, with Chad Chaffin attempting the final races for the team in 2008.
In 2009, John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
was the full-time driver for the car, and the team entered into a partnership with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
. The #34 team received owner's points from EGR's defunct #15 team, becoming locked in for the first 5 races of the season. For the Daytona 500, Window World joined as the primary sponsor, EGR's Steve Lane would be the crew chief for the team, and some of EGR's crewmen tended to the car. The team finished 19th in the race. Window World ended up joining the team for the first five races of the season. The team ran EGR engines at the Daytona 500 and at the spring Atlanta race, using Pro Motors
Tri-Star Motorsports
TriStar Motorsports is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. They currently field the #14 Hefty Chevrolet for Eric McClure, the #19 Chevrolet for Mike Bliss, and the #44 Chevrolet for Jeff Green and Charles Lewandoski...
Engines otherwise. Steven Lane served as the full-time crew chief and some of the EGR crew became permanent employees. Beyond Window World's involvement, the team ran mostly unsponsored; team owner Bob Jenkins has used the space on the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS to advertise his Taco Bell restaurants while seeking for a new primary sponsor. Andretti missed two races while he ran the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, and teammate Tony Raines took his place for those events. Raines quickly earned the team's best solo effort finish to that point with a 25th place at Darlington. With John back at the wheel, the team finished 16th at the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, along with numerous other top-30 finishes throughout the year. At Michigan, race sponsor Carfax
Carfax
Carfax may refer to: about car history.* Carfax , a website with vehicle history information* Carfax 250, a motor race* Carfax, Oxford, England* The centre of Horsham, West Sussex, England...
jumped aboard the #34 Chevrolet as the primary sponsor. The team remained in the top-35 for the entire season which guaranteed the team starts the first five races of 2010.
For 2010, Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
was the primary driver of the #34 Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
Ford, with the team switching to the Ford Racing
Ford Racing
Ford Racing is the Ford Motor Company's racing division and the multinational name used for its motorsport activity.-History:* 1896 - Henry Ford reached a top speed of 20 mph in his first car, Quadricycle....
banner with Roush/Yates providing engines and support for the team. Steve Lane returned to the Long John Silver's team with Kvapil. John Andretti drove the #34 in the Budweiser Shootout and the 2010 Daytona 500 with Window World as the primary sponsor, with Kvapil driving the #37 Extenze Ford in place of rookie teammate Kevin Conway. Kvapil and the Long John Silver's team's best finish of 2010 was an 18th at Talladega in the spring in the #34, and the #34 finished 33rd in owners points after Kvapil, Andretti (both with the LJS crew), Kevin Conway, and Tony Raines (both with the Extenze / A&W Crew) ran races with the number.
In 2011, David Gilliland will return to Front Row Motorsports running the #34 Taco Bell Ford for the full season. He would go on to finish 3rd in the 2011 Daytona 500
2011 Daytona 500
The 2011 Daytona 500, the 53rd running of the event, was held on February 20, 2011 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. First race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season, it was won by the Wood Brothers...
, 9th in the 2011 Aaron's 499
2011 Aaron's 499
The 2011 Aaron's 499 was the eighth race of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season out of thirty six total races. The race was held on April 17 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. Jeff Gordon won his 70th pole position, leading a Hendrick Motorsports sweep of the top four starting...
, and 12th in the 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350
2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350
The 2011 Toyota/Save Mart 350 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on June 26, 2011 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Contested over 110 laps, it was the sixteenth race of the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season and the first of two road course competitions on the schedule....
. These three finishes are Front Row Motorsports top 3 finishes in team history, as well as first top 5 finish and first top 10 finishes.
Car #37 History
FRM fielded the #92 Chevy for multiple drivers in 2005. It debuted at the 2005 Daytona 5002005 Daytona 500
The 2005 Daytona 500 was held on February 20 at the Daytona International Speedway. The Grand Marshal was Matthew McConaughey. Dale Jarrett started on pole, but lost the first lap to Jimmie Johnson, and fell back down the field after a small bump from behind from Dale Earnhardt Jr.The first caution...
with Stanton Barrett
Stanton Barrett
Stanton Thomas Barrett is a NASCAR driver and Hollywood stuntman. He has driven in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, as well in the IZOD IndyCar Series.-NASCAR:...
driving, but it did not qualify. After missing the next three races, the team finally got into a race at the Food City 500
Food City 500
The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Irwin Tools Night Race, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Barrett finished 41st after suffering oil pressure problems. After the spring Dover
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
race, Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
drove the car at the Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
, finishing 35th. Then Hermie Sadler
Hermie Sadler
Herman Marion Sadler III is an American race car driver/announcer and professional wrestling promoter from Emporia, Virginia. He is also an advocate for autism research, as his daughter Hailie Dru, was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001...
and Eric McClure
Eric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
began sharing the ride, although McClure did not qualify for a race in the car. Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller (NASCAR)
Johnny Miller is an American road course racer born in Johnson City, Tennessee on December 25, 1965.Miller has 100 career starts in the Trans-Am road racing series, including two wins and 67 top ten finishes...
ran the car at Watkins Glen, finishing 29th. Another driver, Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
, also took over driving duties, failing to qualify in his initial attempt at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, and then qualifying 43rd the next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway before surrendering the car to Bobby Hamilton Jr.. Late in the year, the team formed an equipment-sharing partnership with Mach 1 Racing
Mach 1 Racing
Mach 1 Racing is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series team. It was owned by Hollywood stuntman Hal Needham and actor Burt Reynolds. A team owned by Chris Edwards ran under this name from 2004 until 2006....
, and that eventually turned into the team moving into Mach 1's shop and hiring their old crew.
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
began the 2006 season with the #92 team, however after two races he was moved to the #34 team. Chad Blount
Chad Blount
Chad Blount is an American race car driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent.-Nextel Cup Series:...
would then take over the car until Talladega where FRM decided the team shut down the #92 operation. The team just made one of the eight races it attempted and cited lack of performance as a reason for the team's shut down. In April 2006, Front Row Motorsports purchased the owner points of Peak Fitness Racing
Peak Fitness Racing
Peak Fitness Racing was a former NASCAR team. It was owned by Hermie Sadler from 2001-2004, and Jeff Stec from 2005-2006, before it was sold.The team was formed in 2001 by Hermie Sadler as SCORE Motorsports. Sadler fielded the #13 Ford Taurus sponsored by the Virginia Lottery for three races that...
, and renumbered the #92 to Peak's #61. The team originally hired Peak's driver Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
to drive however, after just one race, Lepage left Front Row Motorsports, heading to BAM Racing
BAM Racing
BAM Racing is a NASCAR racing team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team began in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2000, moving to NASCAR in 2001 to 2008 before sitting out 2009 due to the economy...
. Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
took over the #61 car after Lepage's departure. Brian Simo drove the #61 car for the road course at Infineon
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
. At the second road course of the season at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen can refer to:* Watkins Glen, New York, a village in New York state* Watkins Glen International, a race course near the village* Watkins Glen State Park, a state park in Watkins Glen, New York...
, Front Row Motorsports lease out the #61 owner points to No Fear Racing
No Fear Racing
No Fear Racing was a part-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team racing the #60 SoBe No Fear Energy Drink Ford Fusion driven by Boris Said. It is owned by Frank Stoddard and Mark Simo, owner of the No Fear brand. The team debuted at the 2006 Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. The next week, Said...
and entered the #92 with Johnny Miller , but he failed to qualify. After Watkins Glen, the team ran as #61 for the remainder of the season. Chaffin ran most of the rest of the races with Stanton Barrett
Stanton Barrett
Stanton Thomas Barrett is a NASCAR driver and Hollywood stuntman. He has driven in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, as well in the IZOD IndyCar Series.-NASCAR:...
driving the car at Dover and Lepage made the race at Atlanta.
The team partnered with #37 of R&J Racing
R&J Racing
John Carter Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. The team currently fields the 08 U.S. Chrome/SoBe Ford Fusion/Toyota Camry for Terry Labonte. It is owned by John Carter...
in 2007, however the deal fell through early in the season, although Front Row retained the team's owner's points and car number. Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
attempted Daytona for the team and John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
and Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
planned to race the car full time. After race 4, Front Row Motorsports announced the #34 would run full time, and that Andretti and Chaffin would swap positions with Lepage so that Lepage could continue full time. Lepage failed to qualify twenty-five times and left before the end of the season. The 37 attempted the 2008 Daytona 500
2008 Daytona 500
The 2008 Daytona 500 was the 50th annual running of "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. The race took place on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was the 50th to be run since the first in 1959, won by Lee Petty. To commemorate...
with Eric McClure
Eric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
and sponsor Hefty
Hefty
Hefty is a brand name of trash bags, trash cans, foam disposable tableware, children’s disposable tableware, slider closure food storage and freezer bags, and disposable cookware. Hefty is a registered trademark of Pactiv Corporation...
, but the team failed to qualify.
The team returned to the track for the 2009 Daytona 500
2009 Daytona 500
The 2009 Daytona 500, the fifty-first running of Daytona 500, was the first points-paying race to open the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The race was won by Matt Kenseth making a car numbered 17 winning the Daytona 500 for the first time in 20 years since Darrell Waltrip's win back in 1989 and the...
with Tony Raines driving, inheriting the points from the #34 from the year before as a result of the merger with EGR, but did not qualify. The team has attempted other races since then, making the race at Richmond, and finished the race in 41st only after running 74 laps. They were awarded no points for the race because of being a late entry. The team also made Dover, however a flat tire early in the race ended the teams run and they finished 42nd. Kevin Hamlin
Kevin Hamlin
Kevin Hamlin is an American racecar driver who has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series divisions.-General information:...
attempted to make his Sprint Cup debut in the #37 at Kansas, however did not qualify for the race. Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
DNQ'd at Lowes Motor Speedway. The #37 was mostly a start and park
Start and park
Start and park is a term used in NASCAR-sanctioned and other auto racing sanctioning bodies to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding expenses such as replacement tires, engine wear...
entry in 2009, although the team ran the full race at Daytona with Tony Raines when they picked up sponsorship from Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine, and other outdoor recreation products and services...
, and also Homestead with Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
when Miccosukee Indian Gaming & Resort sponsored the team after David Stremme failed to qualify in the Phoenix Racing entry. Scott Egglestion crew-chiefed the car for the majority of 2009, with Buddy Sisco acting as chief during the Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
and Peter Sospenzo joining the team during the second half of the season.
For the 2010 season, the #37 became a fulltime Ford team and rookie Kevin Conway
Kevin Conway (NASCAR)
Kevin Conway is an American NASCAR driver. He is the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year. Conway has raced in motocross, legends, the World Karting Association, and the United States Automobile Club.-2002-2005:...
was scheduled to drive the #37, with his longtime sponsor Extenze
ExtenZe
ExtenZe is a herbal nutritional supplement claiming to promote "natural male enhancement", which suggests a euphemism for penis enlargement. However, television commercials make few definitive claims, employing suggestion and euphemism or promising a "better" or "more fun" sexual experience...
coming onboard, with Peter Sospenzo as Crew Chief. The team started in the Top 35 after acquiring owner's points from former Doug Yates cars. Kvapil drove the #37 in the 2010 Daytona 500, as NASCAR did not give Conway approval to compete at Daytona due to lack of superspeedway experience. Conway was unable to keep the car in the top-35 in points, so he, his sponsor, and crew (which is referred to as the Extenze/ A&W crew) would jump to whatever number was highest in points at the time to ensure he and his sponsor would qualify. Conway would eventually be released from FRM, ExtenZe removed from the car, he and his sponsor sued for lack of payment, and was replaced with a rotation of NASCAR veterans Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
and Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...
. A&W All American Food would be displayed on the car in ExtenZe's absence, another Jenkins franchise. Peter Sospenzo & his crew remained with the A&W car until Atlanta in September, when Sospenzo and his crew moved over to the Taco Bell car of David Gilliland
David Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
. Randy Seals and the former Taco Bell crew moved over to the A&W team. The #37 car would wind up 33rd in owners points, with Conway having a best finish of 14th at Daytona (one of only 4 finishes better than 30th for him), Blaney having a best finish of 24th at Atlanta, and Raines with a best finish of 28th at Bristol (he was running top-20 at Martinsville before a flat tire ended his day). Gilliland also ran the number occasionally with his Taco Bell crew.
For 2011, Robert Richardson Jr. returned to drive the Daytona 500 in the #37 with his fathers company, North Texas Pipe, sponsoring the ride. Driver Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
spotted for him during the race. After Daytona, FRM struck a deal with Larry Gunselmans Max Q Motorsports to manage the #37 for the remainder of the year. Gunselman later purchased all assets of the team and FRM is no longer involved in the #37.
Car #38 History
Front Row Motorsports added a third team in 2010, with David GillilandDavid Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
as the primary driver and Robert Richardson, Jr. sharing the ride for at least 3 races throughout the year. Randy Seals comes from Richard Petty Motorsports as crew chief. Richardson ran the 2010 Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Mahindra Tractors, with Gilliland displaying Taco Bell for the other races. The team formed an alliance with Doug Yates in February 2010 and earned Top 35 exemptions for the first five races of 2010 from a former Yates Racing
Yates Racing
Yates Racing was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on...
entry. Gilliland and his Randy Seals lead Taco Bell crew swapped between the #38 and #37 throughout the season. Kevin Conway and Dave Blaney ran races under #38 with the ExtenZe/A&W crew, and Kvapil ran races with the #38 and his LJS's crew. At Pocono in August, with Kvapil and his then crew chief Steven Lane in the #38, it was determined the car had an illegal valve stem in one of the tires, resulting in a 150 point deduction for the #38 car, the suspension & fining of crew chief Steven Lane, suspension of car chief Richard Bourgeois and tire specialist Michael Harrold. Steven Lane was released from the team soon thereafter and replaced by Brian Burns on the LJS's team. The number never regained top-35 status finishing 36th in points. Gilliland and his Taco Bell crew had a best finish of 19th twice, at Martinsville and at Sonoma.
For 2011, Travis Kvapil returns to FRM to drive the #38 Long John Silvers Ford, however Kvapil is running for the Camping World Truck Series championship. The #38 is locked into the field following Daytona, as Penske Racing
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
's/Rusty Wallace Racing's #77 did not run past Daytona and in turn gave up its locked in spot to the #38. Bill Henderson joined FRM as crew chief of the #38 following a stint at Prism Motorsports in 2010, however parted ways with the team following the race at Las Vegas. Jay Guy joined as crew chief at California.
Thus far in 2011 Kvapil has missed two races due to duties in the Truck Series. Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
drove at Pocono. J.J. Yeley drove at Loudon. Yeley and Kvapil would share the ride in an attempt to get the 38 into the Top 35, depending on which driver had sponsorship. At the end of the season, the 38 did get back into the Top 35 and finished 35th, despite three DNQs.
Car #55 History
FRM first fielded the #55 Ford Fusion in June of 2011. It debuted at the New Hampshire Motorspeedway with Jeff Green starting and parking. J.J. Yeley will join Front Row Motorsports for the remainder of the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, driving the No. 55 Ford. The deal will start at the Brickyard 400 at the end of July. J.J. Yeley unfortunately failed to make that race. The 55 was a start-and-park operation for 2011.Nationwide Series
In 2008, Front Row Motorsports focused their efforts to the Nationwide Series, with Eric McClureEric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
driving the #24 Hefty
Hefty
Hefty is a brand name of trash bags, trash cans, foam disposable tableware, children’s disposable tableware, slider closure food storage and freezer bags, and disposable cookware. Hefty is a registered trademark of Pactiv Corporation...
Chevrolet, with a best finish of 15th at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
. The team also attempted to buy out the fledging Specialty Racing
Specialty Racing
Specialty Racing, LLC is an auto racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Based in Statesville, North Carolina, it is owned by Doug Taylor and Charles Shoffner. In 2011, Specialty Racing will field the #61 Ford Mustang...
team, for a time fielding the #61 Cone Solvents Chevrolet with driver Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
. However, after the July race at Daytona
Daytona
Daytona may refer to:* Daytona Beach, Florida* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida* South Daytona, Florida-Motor racing:* Daytona Beach Road Course* Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR speedway, which hosts:** the Daytona 500 NASCAR race...
, Specialty Racing hired Brandon Whitt
Brandon Whitt
Brandon Whitt is a third-generation race car driver. He has run in all three of NASCAR's top divisions...
to drive the #61, and returned to Ford, disregarding the supposed buyout, leading Front Row Motorsports & Kevin Lepage to file a lawsuit against the team. McClure, meanwhile, finished the year 21st in points. McClure left the team at the end of the 2008 season, bringing sponsor Hefty
Hefty
Hefty is a brand name of trash bags, trash cans, foam disposable tableware, children’s disposable tableware, slider closure food storage and freezer bags, and disposable cookware. Hefty is a registered trademark of Pactiv Corporation...
and the #24 to Team Rensi Motorsports
Team Rensi Motorsports
Team Rensi Motorsports is a NASCAR Nationwide Series team owned by Ed Rensi, Gary Weisbaum, and formerly Sam Rensi. The team has also competed in the Winston Cup Series, Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA racing series...
.
In 2009, Front Row Motorsports ran the #34 Chevrolet Impala SS with veteran Tony Raines
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
returning to the series full time. Scott Eggleston crew-chiefed the car, who has been with FRM since 2007. The entry was mostly unsponsored, with Jenkins advertising his Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's
Long John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
franchises on the car. Raines and his team were able to drive to 4th at the Aaron's 312
Aaron's 312
The Aaron's 312 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway. The race's sponsor, Aaron's, is a lease-to-own retailer. The twelve extra miles are tacked on to what would normally be a race for targeted advertising purposes....
at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, FRM's first ever top-ten or top-five in either series, in addition to a fifteenth place finish at Las Vegas and Richmond. Later in the season, he had a sixth place finish in the rain at the NAPA Auto Parts 200
NAPA Auto Parts 200
The NAPA Auto Parts 200 Presented by Dodge is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that takes place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since 2007. It takes place in August, replacing the Champ Car World Series and Atlantic Championship Grand Prix of Montreal...
, and a strong 10th place finish at Lowes Motor Speedway, finishing the year 12th in drivers points.
It would be announced that Front Row Motorsports would lease their Nationwide team, running Chevrolets, to TriStar Motorsports in 2010 after FRM's announcement to become a factory backed Ford Team. The partnership lasted for most of the season before FRM ended the deal, taking the Long John Silvers sponsorship to the Sprint Cup Series as A&W, replacing ExtenZe following Kevin Conway
Kevin Conway
Kevin Conway is an American actor and film director.-Early life:Conway was born in New York City, the son of Helen Margaret , a sales representative, and James John Conway, a mechanic...
's release.