It’s not rare to see generational drivers compete in NASCAR competitions. Several families have made a name for themselves in the sport over generations. The Pettys, the Earnhardts, and the Blaneys are only a few such families that have fielded drivers in the Cup Series.
Advertisement
Another family that can boast the came is the Gilliland family. Todd Gilliland is currently a full-time driver in Front Row Motorsports’s employ in the Cup. He is a third-generation race car driver, walking in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Todd’s father, David Gilliland is still involved in NASCAR. His racing career saw him take part in all three national touring competitions. He even has a race victory in the Nationwide Series that came at Kentucky in 2006 racing for Clay Andrews Racing. As a driver, he made a name for himself in the ARCA Menards Series West, winning five races and finishing top five in the championship in 2004 and 2005.
After his racing career came to an end, David moved to a team ownership role. He has been at the hem of Tricon Garage in the NASCAR Truck Series since 2017. Under his watch, the team has won 11 races in the competition and many more in the ARCA competitions. Tricon Garage even competes in the CARS Tour. While he has an impressive career in motorsports, the first one to race professionally in the Gilliland family was his father, Butch Gilliland.
Butch took part in the Cup and Truck Series but never achieved a lot of success in either. However, he was top-class in the Winston-West Series. He won 13 races in the competition and won the title in 1997 driving for Stroppe Motorsports. That season, he won four races – Altamont Raceway Park, Mesa Marin Raceway, Portland, and Sonoma. Considering the last two are road courses, he must have been quite prolific at those.
Like his father and grandfather, Todd also has made quite an impact in the ARCA competitions in his career. He has won two in the ARCA Menards Series, seven in the East Series, and 13 in the West Series. He even has earned three Truck Series wins, one of them while driving for his father’s team. Judging by race results, Todd is by far the most successful race car driver of the Gilliland family and he has a bright future ahead.
