MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Todd Gilliland will finally get his turn in the spotlight when he makes his season debut for Kyle Busch Motorsports this weekend at Martinsville Speedway.
The national stage is one that Gilliland has been eagerly anticipating his return to, as well, after driving in six races for KBM last year but having to sit out the first three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races of 2018 due to age restrictions.
Saturday, however, Gilliland will get his chance to shine as he pilots the No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra during the Alpha Energy Solutions 250, the fourth race of the Truck Series season and its first on a short track.
“It’s been very hard,” Gilliland said of having to watch other drivers, including his father David, drive the truck he will pilot in 19 of the final 20 races this year. “I’m a racer and all I want to do is race.”
“Seeing other people jump in the truck you are going to be in the rest of the year is really tough, but you have to take every opportunity you have to learn and catch up to the guys who already have three more races worth of experience than I do. I’ve been counting down the days until I can get in the seat; I’ve been fortunate enough to go to the first few races and watch, but I think that’s made me even more anxious to get in the truck.”
Gilliland has played the roles of engaged observer and passionate fan so far for the truck he will look to try and carry to a Truck Series owner’s championship this season.
The 17-year-old has watched from the pit box and listened on the radio as his dad, his team owner Kyle Busch and fellow rookie Spencer Davis have driven the No. 4 during races at Daytona Int’l Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, respectively.
But Gilliland admitted that while he’s learned a lot from his early class sessions, there’s no feeling like being in the driver’s seat and gaining that knowledge first-hand.
“Anytime you can listen to someone on the radio – and especially a Cup champion like Kyle Busch – it’s always a great honor. Just the way that he can break down every corner of the race car, what needs to be fixed the most and what can wait is impressive,” said Gilliland. “I think that’s all stuff you can learn from and those are the things that are going to take you to the next level as a driver.”
“Now I’m ready to get going and experience everything for myself again. I got the chance to run six races last year for KBM, and that’s just got me all the more excited for the schedule we’re going to run together this season. The No. 4 team has already shown speed, no matter who’s been behind the wheel, so now it’s my turn to go out and try to perform just like everyone else has up to this point.”
