Legendary Short Track, Martinsville Awaits Front Row Motorsports

Martinsville Speedway Competition Notes

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TEAM AND RACE NOTES:

Front Row Motorsports heads to the legendary Martinsville Speedway for a second consecutive short-track on the Cup Series calendar.

Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland take on the "Paperclip" after competing at Richmond Raceway last Sunday night. Layne Riggs also returns to the track after an off weekend in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to debut his Infinity Communications F-150 and continue his short-track successes.

In four starts at Martinsville, Gilliand has an average finish of 19.5, two top-15 results, including a 10th-place finish in the fall race last season. After making his road course debut at the Circuit of the Americas, this weekend's event is one that Riggs has circled on his calendar. In 2023, he finished 11th in the fall Xfinity Series event, leading nine laps, driving for Kaulig Racing.

New sponsors will be on the FRM vehicles this weekend. Riggs will have Infinity Communications on his truck while Carson-Newman University will be on Gilliland's No. 38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Infinity Communications has built a diversified portfolio of experience including, but not limited to, erecting new cell towers, system upgrades, maintenance, power outages, generator support and storage, generator and fleet refueling, and disaster recovery. Carson-Newman University, founded in 1851, is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has over 2,700 students, and 21 NCAA Division II athletic teams.

Long John Silver's will be back on the No. 34 for the second consecutive weekend, and also be the entitlement sponsor for Friday's CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race, the Long John Silver's 200.

The weekend kicks off with a one-day show for Riggs and the 38 truck team. Truck Series track activity will begin on Friday, April 5th with practice and qualifying at 3:00 p.m. ET followed by the Long John Silver's 200, Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET, broadcasted live on FS1. The Cup Series will have practice and qualifying on Saturday, April 6th at 4:30 p.m. ET televised on FS2. The 400-lap Cup Series event will take place Sunday, April 7th at 3:00 p.m. ET and will be televised live on FS1. Fans can also listen in on all the action live from Sirius XM and the Motor Racing Network.

CUP SERIES COMPETITION NOTES:

No. 34 Long John Silver's Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL: 

"We have put effort into our short track program this year. We have seen the performance at tracks like Phoenix and Bristol with our Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Martinsville is a real tough track, but we're up to the challenge this weekend."

CREW CHIEF TRAVIS PETERSON:

"Looking to regain some momentum at Martinsville this week, Richmond did not go as planned and were hoping we got a lot of bad breaks out of the way. Martinsville is a very unique and exciting racetrack and were looking to forward to getting there. We have a lot of good notes from this track between our teammates and tech alliance that should lead to a solid weekend."

No. 38 Carson-Newman University Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

"Track position is important everywhere we go, but it's especially important at Martinsville and to qualify upfront. That part is on my shoulders. I've won here in the trucks, so I know what it takes. We're looking forward to a good finish this weekend."

CREW CHIEF RYAN BERGENTY:

"We have really improved on our short-track program this year. Each time we go to Martinsville, I feel as if we are closing the gap between us and bigger teams. Todd (Gilliland) is a proven winner at Martinsville in the truck series and runs well there in Cup, so I expect us to be upfront."

TRUCK SERIES COMPETITION NOTES:

No. 38 Infinity Communications Ford F-150:

DRIVER LAYNE RIGGS:

"This weekend couldn't have come any sooner. Words can't describe how excited I am to race at Martinsville. Growing up in the late model scene, Martinsville was like the Daytona 500 for short-track racing. I know Dylan (Cappello) and the team will bring me a fast Infinity Communications Ford F-150, I just have to put it to the test and hone in on that grassroots mentality."

CREW CHIEF DYLAN CAPPELLO:

"This is Layne's (Riggs) bread and butter, there's no other driver I would want behind the wheel. We've had been preparing for months to make sure we're bringing him the best of the best and making sure we dot our "I's" and cross our "T's". It's go time!"