Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Talladega Superspeedway Race Report
Jack Link’s 500
Date: April 27, 2025
Event: Race 11 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-miles)
Length of Race: Three hours, 10 minutes, 52 seconds
FRM Finish:
● Noah Gragson (Started 27th, Finished 4th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Todd Gilliland (Started 15th, Finished 16th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
● Zane Smith (Started 1st, Finished 19th / Running, completed 188 of 188 laps)
FRM Points Standings:
- Zane Smith (23rd)
- Todd Gilliland (28th)
- Noah Gragson (31st)
Noah Gragson Key Takeaways
Stage One: 22nd / Stage Two: 14th / Race Result: 4th
Noah Gragson qualified 27th for the NASCAR Cup Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway. Gragson finished 22nd and 14th in Stages One & Two, respectfully, taking trips to pit road to fix the handling of his Ford Mustang Dark Horse. With adjustments made by Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer and the No. 4 team, Gragson put himself in contention for the win in the final stage, ultimately finishing fourth, his first top-five of the season.
“It was a really smooth day for a change, and it feels great to finally show the results we knew we were capable of with a top-5 finish,” said Gragson. “Early on, we had some handling issues and lacked track position, but the team made a great adjustment on the first stop that really helped the car. We stuck to our plan of saving fuel by running the bottom and picking off spots when others got impatient, and it set us up perfectly for that last pit stop. Our stop was shorter than most, which got us the track position we needed. We were just a couple spots short of truly contending for the win, but overall, we did everything right and it was a strong day for our team.”
Todd Gilliland Key Takeaways
Stage One: 20th / Stage Two: 8th / Race Result: 16th
Todd Gilliland qualified 15th for Sunday’s 188-lap event at the Talladega Superspeedway. Gilliland fought with the handling of his Ford Mustang Dark throughout the first stage, but was able to run within the top-10 with Front Row Motorsports teammate, Zane Smith. Gilliland finished Stage One in 20th. Back within the top-10 in Stage Two, Gilliland finished the stage in 8th, earning stage points. In the final stage, Gilliland continued to show speed and worked with fellow Ford teammates to cross the start / finish line in 16th.
“We wanted a little more from a results standpoint, but I’m still happy to have left Talladega with a top-20 finish,” said Gilliland. “We left the track with some stage points too, so it’s encouraging to see the speed this No. 34 team is bringing to the track. On to Texas.”
Zane Smith Key Takeaways
Stage One: 18th / Stage Two: 9th / Race Result: 19th
Zane Smith made his fourth Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR Cup Series start this past Sunday. In Saturday’s qualifying session, Smith earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole award with a top speed of 182.174 MPH for a 52.565 lap time. Fuel strategy was the topic of discussion in the 188-lap race. Smith showed the speed of his Ford Mustang Dark Horse in Stage One, leading five laps throughout the stage before falling back to the top-20 to save fuel, finishing the stage in 18th. In Stage Two, Smith made his way back into the top-10, finishing the stage in ninth, earning two valuable stage points. In the final stage, Smith ran within the top-10, moving up a lane on the final lap in hopes of making a run for a top-five finish, but with no help, fell back within the top-20 and crossed the start / finish line in 19th.
“Frustrating finish to a really good weekend,” said Smith. “Winning a Pole award was super cool, and that translated into the race where we were able to put ourselves in a really good spot for the finish. We just didn’t have anyone commit to our bumper that last lap and it cost us a ton of spots, but I’m proud of this TitleMax Ford team and excited to keep bringing fast cars to the track.”
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 34 and No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series teams from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @teamfrm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.
