Todd Gilliland finds his footing during the Daytona Next Gen test session. (Image: Front Row Motorsports)
Terra Talks is back for a second season and helping to kick things off is 2022 NASCAR Cup Series rookie, Todd Gilliland. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Front Row Motorsports fans alike are familiar with the third-generation driver. As Gilliland enters 2022 he moves from the No. 38 Ford F150 to the No. 38 Ford Mustang.
This series will put a spotlight on his on-track efforts, help fans get to know the man behind the helmet, and in this exciting Next Gen era, hear directly from a driver on the bells and whistles of the brand new car.
For our pre-season conversation, we talk season goals, advice and mentors, season preparation, and much more. Let’s drop the green flag on Terra Talks 2022!
Terra Jones: Before we get started, congratulations on your move to the Cup Series! You’re definitely jumping in at a very exciting time with the debut of the Next Gen car! We’ll talk more about the car in a little bit, but I want to start with goals. What are some expectations you have or goals that you and the No. 38 team hope to accomplish this year?
Todd Gilliland: Yeah, that’s the hard part. I don’t really know too much about the goals. I’d say a good one really, just for me, is not taking myself out of learning positions. I have got to make as many laps as possible to be able to get that experience under my belt. I think that’s my goal: just to finish off as many laps as possible. And hopefully, by the end of the year, I have comparable results to that of my teammate. I think those are two good goals.
Jones: Thank you for sharing those. I love asking that question because goals vary so much from one end of the garage to the other, and driver to driver, depending on experience.
Now, both your dad and your grandfather have raced and I’m sure they’ve given you some great advice over the years. What words of wisdom have they had for you as you make the move to the top tier of NASCAR?
Gilliland: So I’d say it’s just kind of been excitement. You know, like, “We’re going to be in the Cup Series!” My dad, I’m sure will give me a lot more advice once we start going. But really, the hard part for me is I don’t know 100% what to expect! And honestly, neither does he! We’ve got this Next Gen car, single lug pitstops, all that stuff is so different. I’d say we’re going to be learning a little bit together.
Forget Disney! “We’re going to the Cup Series!” (Image: Landen Ciardullo | TPF)
But he’s definitely got some good experience with the length of these races and how intense the whole season is, racing this many times. So we’ve talked about that a little bit. He just says, “Be patient.” That’s the biggest thing for me. When I started racing full-body stock cars, I was just a little bit too impatient at times and tore up a lot of stuff. So that’s my been my word from him: be more patient.
Jones: There you go. Very good advice! Who are some other mentors or drivers that have been part of your support system as you’ve advanced your career?
Gilliland: I’d say a really fun one, especially now that we’re gonna be rookies together, is Harrison Burton. I feel like we’ve been racing together forever. He might’ve raced quarter midgets just a little bit before me. But we’ve literally done every single step together. So I think that’s been a really fun one.
And then more recently, just over the last year, year and a half, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. has been kind of a bigger role model for me. I’ve been working out with him some more on the fitness side, so hopefully, that gives me another window of opportunity to see what goes into training for a season like this. So I’d say that’s a kind of a fitness mentor right now.
Jones: Those are both great! Let’s talk season preparation. You mentioned the schedule being longer, more intense than it was in the Truck Series. How have you prepared differently for this season than previous seasons?
Gilliland: I think this is probably the most prepared I’ve ever felt for a season. I’m actually going up to GoPro Motorplex right now to drive a shifter kart. We try and go out there probably once or twice a week to stay in the seat. It’s different. You can work out in the gym as much as possible, but just to be behind the wheel is something that is always good. So that’s been my main thing: trying to stay in the go-kart. The shifter karts are probably the fastest thing I’ve ever driven. So hopefully it’ll slow down the Cup car a little bit for me. That’s the goal, at least!
Focused on 2022, Gilliland notes, “This is probably the most prepared I’ve ever felt for a season.” (Image: Michael Guariglia | TPF)
Jones: That’s so interesting to hear! Now for this Terra Talks Series, I’m interviewing you, an XFINITY driver, and a Truck Series driver throughout the season. So I give each of you a similar question, we call it the Quarterly Question. Since the Olympics are getting ready to start if you could show up to the Winter Games and have a fighting chance to medal, what sport would you compete in?
Gilliland: I don’t think I’d have a fighting chance in any of them! But I really like watching speed skating. I think that’s really cool.
Jones: It’s like NASCAR on ice!
Gilliland: Yeah, exactly! So I feel like that’s always fun to watch. There’s a start line and a finish line and whoever is there first, wins. I think that’d be the most fun.
Jones: It’s definitely fun to watch. Now let’s move to the track a little bit. There are a number of tracks on the Cup schedule that aren’t on the Truck schedule. So first of all, where are you most looking forward to racing this season?
Gilliland: Right off the bat, I’m looking forward to Auto Club Speedway. That’s one that I’ve never raced at. And I honestly didn’t think I was gonna get the chance to because they’re gonna tear it down or reconfigure it. So I’m really excited I get to race there! It just looks so wide. You see people run some at the very top down to the apron pretty much. So I’m excited for that one.
One has to think Todd Gilliland approaches COTA with a bit of excitement after his 2021 Truck Series win. (Image: Sean Folsom | TPF)
Jones: On the flip side, where are you a little bit more apprehensive to go?
Gilliland: I’ve always struggled at concrete race tracks. So a super long race at Dover and 500 laps at Bristol, those are two just in the back of my mind. Hopefully, I can be a lot better at them. That’s just something I need to improve at. But those are pretty big ones for me in the future.
Jones: Good deal. Now, let’s talk a little bit about the Next Gen car. There’s so much excitement and anticipation surrounding these cars. You’ve had some time behind the wheel at a couple of test sessions. What is your favorite aspect so far about the new car?
Gilliland: Yeah! I really like all of it! But I’d say two things. First, mainly is the shifting. I think it’s really cool. It’s just so different than what we’ve done, since the time I was in late models until Truck Series, so it’s a lot of fun. And then also just for me, the Cup guys are used to it, but the digital dash. That is also a really cool part. There’s just so much more information on there, you can pretty much make it however you want it. So we’ll have a blank slate and so much information. It’s really cool!
Jones: And what do you think fans will like the most once all the Next Gen cars are on track at Daytona?
Gilliland: Well, hopefully, the racing is familiar. But, I think the whole idea behind the Next Gen car is to build a lot of excitement. People are going to be wanting to come to the races to see it. I think their sound is really cool. And honestly, if we can make the racing just one or two steps better, I think that’s a huge leap for sure. So hopefully that can be the case!
All eyes will be on the Next Gen cars at the Busch Light Clash this Sunday. (Image: Front Row Motorsports)
Jones: And we don’t have to wait much longer! Now, to wrap up, I went back to 2010 when Jeff Gluck did 12 questions with David Gilliland! So I’m going to ask you three questions that Jeff asked your dad and see how your answers compare to what your dad said. So I don’t want your dad’s answers – I want the Todd answer.
Gilliland: Oh boy. Okay!
Jones: So first one, what’s the worst track NASCAR goes to? I know it’s a different schedule than 2010. But in your opinion, where do you really not want to go?
Gilliland: I’d say the worst track is Dover. That dirty air is so bad. It’s just so hard to pass there. So I say that’s definitely my worst track.
Jones: Your dad said Martinsville…
Gilliland: What?!
Jones: Yeah!
Gilliland: Wow. I feel like the Cup races there are intense though! They’re hitting each other.
Jones: So maybe that’s why he said it and you’ll have a different answer come this spring! But, I’m curious if his answer has changed since you won there in Trucks!
Alright, the next one, are you superstitious about racing? Or raceday?
Gilliland: I’m not. I’m not superstitious at all. I know my dad is about some stuff. And my mom and my girlfriend actually both are, kind of behind my back. I guess I always think superstition is even a worse thing because then if you forget about it one time, you already feel like you’re at a disadvantage.
Jones: That’s true! So, his answer, he said he tried to not shave on race day.
Gilliland: (laughs) Wow!
Jones: And then finally, would you rather be known and remembered as a great person or a great driver?
Gilliland: Oh, I would say great person for sure. Especially in racing. It’s a team sport. That’s one thing, when I leave a team, I hope they have good things to say about me. Right?
Jones: Definitely. That’s a great perspective to have. Your dad said he wanted to be remembered as a little bit of both.
Gilliland: Oh, that’s cheating! (laughs)
Be sure to follow Todd Gilliland on his social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) as well as Front Row Motorsports (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) for all the latest raceday and sponsor news.
A huge thank you to FRM Public Relations Representative, Chris Murdock, and Todd Gilliland for helping make this series possible.
