By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
Front Row Motorsports will have a little bit of a different look in 2019.
Matt Tifft will join Michael McDowell and David Ragan as the third driver for the organization in NASCAR’s premier series.
The 22-year-old driver from Hinckley, Ohio has 77 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he has collected nine top-five and 38 top-10 finishes.
“Today is a huge moment in my career, announcing my move to the Cup series,” said Tifft in a statement. “This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and I can’t believe it’s finally coming true.
“I’m so thankful to Front Row Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to drive the No. 36 next season. I’m looking forward to guidance from veterans Michael McDowell and David Ragan and am ready to take on the challenge of driving with 39 of the best drivers in the world.”
Both McDowell and Ragan are excited to return to FRM in 2019.
“This season has been a big stepping-stone for me in my career,” McDowell said. “We haven’t gotten the results we’ve wanted every week, but we’ve made huge advances as a team. I’ve really benefited from having a teammate this year and feel like I’ve made valuable contributions in return. I’m looking forward to building on that next year and welcoming another teammate in Matt Tifft.”
“Bob Jenkins has always grown his race team strategically, and I’m proud to be a part of that growth,” said Ragan. “It’s exciting that we’re now ready to take the next step with a third car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. We’ve made a lot of gains this season with our enhanced program with Ford Performance and our alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, and I think we can make even greater strides next year.”
Team owner Bob Jenkins is looking forward to building on the successes of 2018.
“We’ve made it clear in recent years that it was our intent to continue to invest in NASCAR and expand to a three-car team,” Jenkins said. “Not only are we here to stay, we’re here to grow.
“We already have two proven veterans in our line-up, and now we’ll get to add an impressive young talent and championship contender who will inject some new energy into the group. With the introduction of the Ford Mustang into the Cup Series, 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting season for us.”
Sponsorship and crew chief pairings will be announced at a later date.