By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor
After a successful first season behind the wheel for Front Row Motorsports in 2016, Landon Cassill will return to the team in 2017 to continue their work together, while his teammate for next season will be a familiar face in the FRM shop.
Joining Cassill will be David Ragan, who drove for the team from 2012 through the 2015 Daytona 500 and earned the team’s first win at Talladega in May 2013. After Kyle Busch’s injury at the start of the 2015 season, Ragan moved from Front Row over to Joe Gibbs Racing and then to Michael Waltrip Racing for the remainder of the season once Busch returned. Ragan drove for BK Racing in 2016, but was released at the end of the season.
Cassill will take over the No. 34 team driven by Chris Buescher last season, while Ragan will be driving for the No. 38 team that Cassill drove for in 2016.
With Cassill and Ragan on board for 2017, the team will also continue its technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing and its engine program with Roush Yates Engines.
“These are two hard-working guys, both in the car and away from the car working with our partners. We went out and got Landon last season because we knew he was talented and we wanted him in our racecar, and now we’re really happy he will be back another year,” said Front Row Motorsports owner, Bob Jenkins.
“And we’re really excited to have David back. He’s a big part of Front Row’s history, bringing us our first win. He’s got a lot of experience in his career – things that you can’t teach – that will be big assets to us and our partners.”
During his first season with the team, Cassill scored seven top-20 finishes, with the highest of those coming as a result of an 11th place finish at Talladega in May. The 27-year old also led 20 laps at Bristol in April, as well as completing 97.7 percent of all of the laps run in 2016, and finished the season with the least number of DNF’s among active drivers with just one.
“I’m really looking forward to working with David. I’ve raced alongside him for years and respect him as a competitor. He has a ton of experience with different teams and manufacturers that will make him a great teammate. I’m really proud of what our team accomplished in 2016 in our first year together, and I’m really excited to go and build on that,” said Cassill.
After a 2015 season in which he scored 14 top-20 finishes, as well as a top-five finish at Martinsville and eight laps led, Ragan struggled in 2016, finishing inside the top-20 just twice during his 36 starts. A return to Front Row in 2017 should give the 10-year premier series veteran a chance to right the ship going forward.
“It’s a nice homecoming, coming back to Front Row Motorsports. I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Bob Jenkins, how he put together his team and grew it the right way over the years. We’ve celebrated some pretty big highlights together, and now we need to go make more,” said Ragan.
“Landon was a great addition to the team last year. He’s a smart driver with a lot of good experience, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
