Pieces fall into place for Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports has found itself in a perfect storm.

Its two drivers, Landon Cassill and David Ragan, are a perfect fit for the organization. Young, hungry and fan favorites, a negative word is hardly said about either of the two. Then comes the business side, as Front Row is in the midst of its best year from a sponsorship perspective.

"We've been really fortunate," Front Row general manager Jerry Freeze told RACER. "The biggest thing is we've had three long-term partnerships. One is Love's Travel Stops, we're in our fifth year with them. With CSX transport company, we're in our sixth year. Then with Ford Motor Company, we're in maybe our eighth year with them.

"I think we do a good job for them, get them a good value for their investment. They understand where we're at as a team that's fighting our way against the big teams out there. We try to overdeliver as much as we can on all the ancillary stuff around the program. I think they appreciate it."

Freeze can remember the days where Front Row was fighting just to get the racetrack. Or wondering if they could afford to buy the necessary sets of tires. Today, because of the increase in partner support the organization is in a position to bring in additional manpower and up its technology.

"Bob (owner Bob Jenkins) is so devoted to this team, and we talk about it every fall of kind of what is his threshold for pain for putting into the team for next year," Freeze said. "Going into this year, there were things that we wanted to continue to do or add to the program: Continue the Roush [Fenway Racing] alliance, buy some new cars, update a lot of the parts and pieces that go with those cars."

Last October, Freeze and Jenkins broke down Front Row's sponsorship situation, with Jenkins committing to covering the difference. Then in December and January, Front Row was able to find partners to sign on the dotted line.

"To Bob's credit, he didn't look at it as an offset to what his contribution was, it's just an add-on," Freeze said. "We've gone back to where we were only going to update so many cars to the latest, let's call it Roush package, and we're now able to do that many more cars. [The additional sponsor support] goes directly into the race team."

Through the first six races of 2017, many might have noticed additional partners on both the No. 34 and No. 38 Fords.

Cassill has slotted in perfectly in the No. 34 after the departure of Chris Buescher. Freeze credited the easy transition to Cassill working well and getting to know those partners last year. Love's Travel Stops, CXS and FR8 Auctions are all back for more this year. In Phoenix, Cassill had Starkey Hearing Foundation on the car.

Ragan's car has had livery from Camping World (who signed on before the Daytona 500), Juice Batteries and construction and technology company Jacob Companies. While Freeze could not recall the exact number, he felt it was down to somewhere between six and eight races – on both cars – for which the organization had not yet filled out sponsorship.

"It hasn't been sudden," Freeze said. "Jacob Companies, in particular, we started talking to them in the middle of last year ... We've got a bit of a business angle with Jacob Companies outside the race team that also includes them investing in the race team. Others like Camping World, there's no outside [business-to-business], so in our case, we had to come up with the program that made sense for [them].

"FR8 Auctions, we did some races with them last year, and they signed up for [Martinsville]. They're great people, and they're not one that's ever looking to do 20 races, they're a small company but they're super enthusiastic about NASCAR. When we do have an opening that's in a market that makes sense for them, they're always interested in looking at some of those races."

Front Row is working hard on other deals that would be for multiple races. Existing partners are also interested in more races, as well. Freeze said everyone is optimistic the full 36-race season will be filled out.

"Last year MDS, one of Bob's companies, whenever we didn't have a sponsor we would run them on the car," Freeze said. "Thankfully, we haven't run any MDS cars, yet. We'll probably run one or two this year, but we're still working on some deals, and hopefully, we'll figure out most of the year."

Front Row used to have just one individual working on both cars back in the shop, but now they've been able to add another person, putting one on each car. They've also invested in more equipment and resources.

But while Freeze acknowledges Front Row is certainly encouraged with how the business side of the company has evolved, now they must do the same on track.

"Knowing how much we've invested in the program this year, it's got to start showing up on the racetrack," Freeze said. "The first few races, it's been a little frustrating. We've changed so much on these cars, so it's understandable and with the West Coast swing it's hard to really be prepared going into the new year, and you don't test a whole lot anymore."

Cassill is 30th in points after Martinsville; Ragan sits 33rd. Between both cars, the organization's best finish through six races was Cassill's 16th place in the Daytona 500. Freeze admits they haven't been helping themselves either, with bad luck such as Ragan finding trouble in practice at Fontana and needing a backup car.

There's no two other drivers Front Row would rather have, though. Freeze called both Cassill and Ragan (pictured) "good guys." With his experience in the sport and his understanding of the need for off-track exposure, Cassill is the "whole package" to Freeze.

Ragan isn't unfamiliar to Front Row, having worked with the company for four years before returning this season. Freeze looks at Ragan as giving Front Row four chances a year to score a win when it comes to Daytona and Talladega. He's also a great sponsor ambassador. The two have become good friends, even getting in sync with one another. It gives Freeze and all involved confidence that just as Front Row has built its business up, lightning will strike twice with its performance.

"The relationship with Roush has never been better," Freeze said. "We're sharing all the information we have with them, they share their information with us. Richard Petty Motorsports, likewise. There's a lot more technology and resources in our cars than there's ever been.

"I'm hopeful and planning on us getting a little bit faster on the track and get higher up on the board. That's what it's all about. If we're investing in all this and we're staying the same, then we're missing it somewhere. It's been a little rocky start, but I think we're going to get going."