“Dark Horse” Team’s “Cinderella Story” Could Ruffle Rick Hendrick & Richard Childress’ Feathers, Claims HMS Legend

As the NASCAR season hurtles towards its climax, all eyes are fixated on the upcoming weekend at Daytona. With a sole playoff spot hanging in the balance, racing teams will be preparing themselves for an all-out battle to secure their berth in the championship run. Amidst the contenders, big teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing still find themselves with unfinished business.

But one potential “dark horse” that could upset the dominoes for these teams is the unyielding Front Row Motorsports. The team has already broken expectations, with one of its drivers, Michael McDowell, earning a coveted playoff spot. And now, NASCAR legend and former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte has placed his bets on Front Row’s youngest driver to win the race at Daytona.

Steve Letarte rolls the dice toward Hendrick Motorsports and RCR with Todd Gilliland in mind

Speaking on the latest episode of the ‘Dirty Mo Dough’ podcast, Steve Letarte explored what could potentially be a remarkable tale in the racing world. Conversing about the drivers who faced a must-win situation, he indulged in the scenario where Todd Gilliland bypassed the likes of Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon to enter the final 16.

With a touch of excitement, Steve painted a picture of the prospect and assessed that it would be a “Cinderella” story for Front Row Motorsports.

Thinking about how engaging the playoffs would evolve if this scenario did become a reality, the NBC color commentator said, “I just think about that. If Todd Gilliland won this race, then Front Row and Hendrick Motorsports have the same amount of cars in. Front Row has 1 more car than RCR. Like that would be a story of a story.”

Talking to his podcast co-host “The Professor”, Steve got into the numbers to back his play.

Watch Story: Another Setback for Rick Hendrick as Star Driver Fails to Qualify

The professor’s response that Todd had finished in the top 10 in two of the last three drafting races confirmed the bet for him. But the expectation that Steve has cannot be based just on facts and figures.

Front Row Motorsports’ tale is more of a “David vs. Goliath”

Trending

“Do We Have a Hero?” – Kyle Busch’s Mistreatment at Talladega Points to a Serious Problem Question for NASCAR

“Rest in Peace”- Cup Team Spotter’s Sudden Passing Leaves the Racing Community Devastated

Joe Gibbs’ Regret of Losing Joey Logano Behind JGR Securing Tony Stewart’s Ace, Claims NASCAR Veteran

NASCAR Seemingly “Throwing Up the White Flag” as Fans Insinuate Michael Jordan’s Victory After Massive Lawsuit Signing

Kaulig Racing’s Road Course Surgeon Publicly Concedes Inferiority to SVG as He Drops Concerning Roval Declaration

Heading into the venue, the pressure is on for more than 10 drivers who face a must-win situation. Among these contenders are stars like Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon. The struggles that Chase Elliott faced throughout the 2023 Cup Series season are no secret.

The former champion will be entering the speedway with one goal in mind: to win.

All the other drivers, too, will not be gentlemen on the track come Sunday. In a high-stakes situation like this, pulling ahead of fellow drivers is no mean task. But if one team can pull off a surprise, it’s Front Row Motorsports. After all, how many of us would’ve guessed that one of their drivers would win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

Read More: Dale Earnhardt Jr Unsure Of Hendrick Motorsports Ability to Compete With the Latest Underdog

Should Todd Gilliland emerge victorious at Daytona and join his teammate in the final 16, the outcome would dash the playoff hopes for all the other drivers. And as Steve painted, the playoffs would see Front Row Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports clashing with the same number of cars.

We will have to wait to see if the underdogs can set the stage for a remarkable playoff and make their presence undeniably known. Watch Essentially Sports’ NASCAR page for further updates on the coming weekend.