After getting off Interstate 77, the shop is just a turn or two off the main road. Upon arriving on campus, there's ample parking, and on the day of the event, FRM had one of their haulers parked off to the side in order to make space in their loading bay to host fans.  Above: A Front Row Motorsports hauler is parked alongside the race shop hauler bay in anticipation of Fan Day. The shop is large, but humble too. FRM is not one of the highest funded teams in the Nascar Cup series and as an organization, they pride themselves on doing more with less. That doesn't mean they don't know how to put on a good show. Front Row Motorsports has traditionally been one of the best teams at connecting with and engaging their fans. FRM drivers are constantly available on race day at the merch haulers and displays. But when visiting the team in person, it's easy to see that their staff really pride themselves in creating a memorable experience for their supporters.  Above: Race fans stand in line while waiting for driver appearances. In 2023, the team supported two full time Cup cars split between three drivers, and sometimes a third car. Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland, and Zane Smith all represented FRM in the Cup series. Michael McDowell was the team's lead driver and full-time wheelman of the No. 34 Mustang. Zane Smith picked up eight races in the 38 car, and Todd Gilliland drove the other 28.  Above: The FRM shop hauler bay opened up to allow fan access to the loading area and the race shop main floor.  The unassuming race shop was fully open for fans and the driver appearances were staggered so that fans wouldn't have to pick between drivers. Michael McDowell led things off, and he was set up behind the hauler of his No. 34 FRM Mustang. Situated beneath the loading door, McDowell took extensive time to visit with fans, sign autographs, answer questions, and share laughs.  Outside the shop, Todd Gilliland was the next driver to engage with fans. Boot Barn, the nationwide retailer of western wear that sponsored the event had a separate presentation area set up underneath a popup tent in front of the shop. Diecast, hero cards, and some other swag was displayed on the main table, and a very friendly Todd Gilliland enthusiastically engaged with fans.  I arrived with a 1/64 scale diecast of Todd's Daytona car, a Firstphasecard.com car that looked really good. Todd signed the box the car came in and a pair of hero cards that were really cool looking. The cars featured both he, and Zane on a separate card with their helmets on. Very nice.  Above: Used Goodyear tires sit stacked in two piles with the rear end shocks removed and placed on top of the tires during maintenance. McDowell's Fr8Auctions Ford sits in the background.  After each of the autograph sessions, I took my time to explore the FRM shop which not only had Cup cars on display, but also many Truck chassis, and other race car bodies were parked throughout the race shop.  Above: A lone banner sits above an unwrapped Cup Mustang body the illustrates the team's highest achivement, a victory at the Daytona 500 a few months earlier. Conclusion: In general, Nascar Fan Days are not to be missed. For any race fan, they are the ultimate experience away from the race tracks. The teams embrace these opportunities to give back to the fans, and meeting drivers and other Nascar personalities at events that are more laidback than those at the track make for some awesome memories. I have not been back to FRM for a Fan Day since 2023 due to personal scheduling issues, but if I was able, I'd go every year. Special thanks to Front Row Motorsports for a great experience!
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SynopsisAttending race tracks around the country and the experiences at each one are unlike anything else. From attending races and special events, to touring race shops, read more here. Archives
April 2026
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