NASCAR: How a failed deal led to a new opportunity for 2022

Front Row Motorsports confirmed that Todd Gilliland is set to compete for the team in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, a deal that wouldn’t have happened if not for another deal falling through.

At the end of November, Front Row Motorsports announced that Todd Gilliland, who competed for the team behind the wheel of the #38 Ford in the last two NASCAR Truck Series seasons, is set to be promoted to their Cup Series operation for the 2022 season.

Gilliland is set to replace Anthony Alfredo, who competed behind the wheel of the #38 Ford as a rookie in 2021, alongside reigning Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell next year.

Set to replace Gilliland in his Truck Series ride is Zane Smith, who competed in the Truck Series for GMS Racing in the last two seasons.

When it was announced that Alfredo would not return to the team for what would have been a second season in 2022, Gilliland became the leading candidate to replace him, given his experience for the organization in the Truck Series.

But none of this would have been possible if not for another deal falling through.

23XI Racing, which had announced an expansion from one car to two cars for the 2022 season when they confirmed that Kurt Busch is set to join the team alongside Bubba Wallace, had been looking for a second charter for Busch’s #45 Toyota.

The Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned team had been in advanced talks with Front Row Motorsports to secure one of their two charters, and multiple sources even reported that it was a “done deal”.

But the deal fell through, and the Bob Jenkins-owned team confirmed plans to continue operating as a two-car operation for 2022.

Had this deal gone down, either McDowell would have been out of a ride, or Gilliland would not have received this promotion — and as a byproduct of this situation, Smith’s future would have been uncertain as well.

Meanwhile, 23XI Racing did end up securing a second charter from StarCom Racing, which shut down after the 2021 season.

Ironically, this deal itself came about as a result of a deal falling through, as multiple reports indicated that Spire Motorsports would be purchasing this charter.

The Daytona 500 is scheduled to get the 2022 season underway on Sunday, February 20. Fox is set to broadcast the 64th annual running of the “Great American Race” live from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.