Front Row Motorsports strengthens ties to Ford Performance, starts alliance with Team Penske

How about this? Front Row Motorsports is moving up to be a Tier 1 organization with Ford Performance, and they have a new Team Penske alliance. The deal has been agreed upon. However, the NASCAR team just made it public.

The day after Joey Logano and Michael McDowell take the front row for the Daytona 500, Front Row Motorsports drops this news. Now it makes a lot more sense why FRM was so quick last night. McDowell especially.

Ford is putting more resources into Front Row. The alliance with Team Penske is also going to provide more resources to Front Row as they continue to build.

Front Row Motorsports Extends Relationship with Ford Performance.https://t.co/eerDebS2IA

— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) February 15, 2024

“I am proud to wear the blue oval and be associated with an iconic American brand in Ford,” Bob Jenkins, owner of Front Row Motorsports said. “Our relationship with Ford has continued to build over the past decade and we’re now showing our success over the past several seasons in the Cup and Truck Series, and that is something that I’m very proud of.”

With Team Penske, Front Row Motorsports will collaborate on engineering, aero, setups, strategy, and pit crew development as well as other parts of the sport. This is major for FRM. My only question, how does this make Stewart-Haas Racing feel?

Front Row Motorsports gets big upgrade with Ford

To be a Tier 1 program with a manufacturer is a big deal. It is more than just driving with their logo at that point. It means that the manufacturer believes in the organization, the drivers, the owners, and what they do each week on the track.

Michael McDowell is a driver who can win races. Todd Gilliland is seen as an up and comer, if he can just get those finishes to match the hype around him. Let’s not count out part-time FRM driver Kaz Grala either, although he is mostly with Rick Ware Racing this year.

Ford is more than happy to make this happen for Front Row Motorsports.

“A racer’s mindset isn’t suited to be patient. We all want results immediately, but the way Bob Jenkins and Jerry Freeze have built Front Row Motorsports through the years is a model for how it should be done,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. 

Could Michael McDowell win his second Daytona 500 this week? He has a good shot after starting on the front row. And he’s with Front Row. Get it?

Joking aside, this is a big deal that could reshape the Ford side of things. The Dark Horse body looks and drives great. Now, let’s see what these drivers can do with them.