Noah Gragson | Todd Gilliland | Zane Smith
Phoenix Raceway NASCAR Cup Series Race Advance
Straight Talk Wireless 500
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
Event: Race 5 of 38
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Phoenix Raceway (1.0-mile)
#of Laps: 312
Time/TV/Radio: 3:30 PM ET on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM channel 90
FRM Points Standings:
Zane Smith (14th)
Noah Gragson (18th)
Todd Gilliland (30th)
Noah Gragson Notes
Noah Gragson will make his sixth Phoenix Raceway NASCAR Cup Series this weekend. In five previous Cup starts at the one-mile track, Gragson has two top-15 finishes, finishing 12th in both 2024 races with Stewart Haas Racing. In eight Xfinity Series starts, Gragson has one win, three top-five, and five top-10 finishes.
Featured as the primary sponsor on Noah Gragson’s No. 4 Front Row Motorsports entry, Straight Talk Wireless will also serve as the entitlement for the NASCAR Cup Series event at Phoenix Raceway – the Straight Talk Wireless 500. Fans attending the Straight Talk Wireless 500 weekend can look forward to driver appearances, airbrush giveaways, blast from the past gaming, including a Nintendo Wii, photo opportunities and other throwback elements designed to bring the “good old days” back to the track. To bring customers closer to the NASCAR action, Straight Talk also launched its “Win to Wave” sweepstakes earlier in the year, which provided a winner with a trip for two to the Straight Talk Wireless 500, including VIP access and the opportunity to wave the green flag to start the race. The brand will also make a $10,000 donation to the NASCAR Foundation in support of youth-focused programming, which will include the Speediatrics Fun Day activities benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley during the Phoenix race weekend.
Beyond the excitement-filled weekend at Phoenix Raceway, Straight Talk’s NASCAR presence will extend nationwide throughout the entirety of the season with its NASCAR on Tour program, bringing the fan experience to life at over 200 Walmart locations across key race markets during the 2026 season. Kicking off in Phoenix, fans can visit participating Walmart stores to meet drivers, take photos, experience race simulators, score exclusive co-branded #4 Straight Talk swag and enter for a chance to win race tickets and other prizes, including a 2026 Ford Mustang. Together, the activation and sweepstakes underscore Straight Talk’s unwavering commitment to affordability. By delivering straightforward value for customers, a standard the brand has maintained for 17 years, and supporting meaningful community impact through NASCAR initiatives.
“I love being out in Phoenix,” said Gragson. “It’s a great area and the fans are awesome, the campgrounds are always packed and it’s just a fun track to be at. I’m excited to get the opportunity to fly the Straight Talk banner, in the Straight Talk Wireless 500. It’s a sharp looking car and we’ve got a lot planned with the Straight Talk team. Phoenix is a track that I’ve always enjoyed going to and have had some success at in the past, winning in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. It will be a fun weekend for everyone that comes out to the track and I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
Road Crew
Driver: Noah Gragson
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Crew Chief: Grant Hutchens
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Car Chief: Joey Forgette
Hometown: Iron Mountain, Michigan
Engineer: Dillon Silverman
Hometown: Chico, California
Engineer: Scott Bingham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia
Mechanic: Chris Trickett
Hometown: Grafton, West Virginia
Mechanic: Tony Infinger
Hometown: Fort Valley, Georgia
Tire Specialist: Chris Aunspaw
Hometown: Zelienople, Pennsylvania
Engine Tuner: Matt Moeller
Hometown: Monroe, New York
Spotter: Nick Del Campo
Hometown: Blauvelt, New York
Transporter Co-Driver: Ron Miske
Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut
Transporter Co-Driver: Matt Murphy
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer: Tafton Hensley
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Rear Tire Changer: Justin Fox
Hometown: Concord, North Carolina
Tire Carrier: Drew Baum
Hometown: Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania
Jackman: Graham Stoddard
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
Fueler: Blake Baker
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina
Todd Gilliland Notes
Todd Gilliland will get his first look at the Phoenix Raceway for the 2026 season this weekend. Long John Silver’s will serve as the primary partner for Gilliland and the No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse this weekend in Phoenix. Long John Silver’s will bring their fan-favorite blue and yellow scheme to the No. 34 for the first time this season.
Frontline Enterprises joins Gilliland and the No. 34 team this weekend in Phoenix. The Canadian automotive dealer will support Gilliland in the NASCAR Cup Series for the fifth consecutive year. Frontline Enterprises has been a key figure in Gilliland’s NASCAR career, partnering with the driver during his time in the ARCA Menards Series before following Gilliland to FRM and the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
“Frontline Enterprises is excited to be on board with Todd again this season, kicking off in Phoenix this weekend,” said Brett Stevens, Owner, Frontline Enterprises. “Todd is not only a great driver but also a great person and has become a longtime friend. We at Frontline look forward to many more years of partnership, and I look forward to many more years of beating him at golf.”
“COTA felt like a missed opportunity, but it was good to at least finish the race and bring the car home in one piece,” said Gilliland. “This weekend in Phoenix and next weekend in Las Vegas will be important for us, as they’ll give us a better look at where we stack up against the field and how we’ll race as these ‘normal’ tracks. It’s great to have Frontline Enterprises this weekend. Brett (Stevens) has been a longtime supporter of mine and it’s always nice having him at the track cheering me on.”
Road Crew
Driver: Todd Gilliland
Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Crew Chief: Chris Lawson
Hometown: Medway, Ohio
Car Chief: Joe Marra
Hometown: Somers, New York
Engineer: Marc Rullo
Hometown: Ringwood, New Jersey
Engineer: Kevyn Rebolledo
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Spotter: Brit Andersen
Hometown: Branford, Connecticut
Mechanic: Michael Brookes
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Interior Specialist: Ethan Deguevara
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Tire Specialist: Billy John
Hometown: Pitman, New Jersey
Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Kyle Moon
Hometown: Troy, New York
Transporter Co-Driver: Randy Bernier
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Transporter Co-Driver: Rick Grissom
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer: Danny Olszowy
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Rear Tire Changer: Austin Chrismon
Hometown: China Grove, North Carolina
Tire Carrier: Paul Steele
Hometown: Wichita, Kansas
Jackman: Ryan Selig
Hometown: Lindenhurst, Illinois
Fueler: Zeke Nance
Hometown: Calhoun, Georgia
Zane Smith Notes
The “West Coast Swing” begins this weekend with the NASCAR Cup Series taking on the Phoenix Raceway. In four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the track, Zane Smith has recorded three top-five finishes, including a victory in 2022 that capped off his championship season. In the Cup Series, Smith earned a career-best ninth-place finish at the one-mile track in March 2025.
As part of its 2026 activation, Aaron’s is running the Fastlane 5000 Sweepstakes, now through March 31. Fans can enter for a chance to win a $5,000 home upgrade from Aaron’s, along with weekly prizes, by visiting Aarons.com/Fastlane5000. The sweepstakes connects the excitement of race weekend with Aaron’s nationwide footprint, driving engagement both in-store and online across nearly 1,200 Company-operated and franchised locations. To find an Aaron’s store location near you, visit Aarons.com.
“COTA didn’t pan out the way we wanted it to, but I’m happy with the speed we’re bringing to the track,” said Smith. “We had a solid run at Phoenix last Spring, so that gives the team and I confidence that we can leave Arizona with a decent result to regain momentum.”
Road Crew
Driver: Zane Smith
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Crew Chief: Ryan Bergenty
Hometown: Plainville, Connecticut
Car Chief: Will Norris
Hometown: Bells, Tennessee
Engineer: Jacob Clamme
Hometown: Hartford City, Indiana
Engineer: Chris Yerges
Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Mechanic / Engine Tuner: Steve Godfrey
Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut
Interior Specialist: Matt Fowler
Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina
Mechanic: Austin Bloom
Hometown: Lowell, Oregon
Spotter: Ryan Blanchard
Hometown: Bethlehem, Connecticut
Transport Co-Driver: Bryan Whitman
Hometown: Newton, North Carolina
Transport Co-Driver: Shawn Sellew
Hometown: Stafford Springs, Connecticut
Pit Crew
Front Tire Changer: Michael Louria
Hometown: Gibraltar, Michigan
Rear Tire Changer: Adam Riley
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Tire Carrier: Jarren Davis
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Jackman: Nate McBride
Hometown: Vidalia, Georgia
Fueler: Ray Hernandez
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
ABOUT STRAIGHT TALK WIRELESS
Straight Talk Wireless provides quality no-contract wireless solutions to value-conscious consumers and is available exclusively at Walmart, Walmart.com, and StraightTalk.com. Straight Talk offers flexible options for every need—from affordable family phone plans to high-speed single unlimited 5G data plans, and more. The $45 Silver Unlimited plan includes unlimited data, talk, and text, 10GB of hotspot data and international calling and texting to Canada and Mexico. Find a plan that fits you at StraightTalk.com.
ABOUT LONG JOHN SILVER’S
Long John Silver’s was founded in 1969 and is on a mission to create treasured moments through high-quality food and bell-ringing service. With restaurants from sea to mouth-watering sea, Long John Silver’s continues building on a belief that the unique seafood experience from the coasts should be accessible to all. Learn more at ljsilvers.com or join the conversation via social media on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
ABOUT AARON’S
Headquartered in Atlanta, The Aaron’s Company, Inc. is a leading, technology-enabled, omnichannel provider of lease-to-own and retail purchase solutions of appliances, electronics, furniture, and other home goods. Aaron’s offers a direct-to-consumer lease-to-own solution through its approximately 1,200 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com.
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit teamfrm.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.
