David Gilliland, now co-owner of NASCAR Truck Series team TRICON Garage, reflects on his unexpected path from competing alongside Tiger Woods on their high school golf team in Anaheim, California, to becoming a key figure in professional racing. His early experiences observing Woods’ dedication and success shaped Gilliland’s competitive drive, ultimately leading him to motorsports instead of golf.
Gilliland recalls,
“Everyone says, ‘what did you learn?’ And I say, ‘I learned that I need to go drive race cars or something else besides golf’, because I wasn’t going to be the best at it. And I’m a competitive person.”
He credits the intense work ethic he absorbed from Woods as a foundation for his racing career, stating,
“So I kind of took some of that work ethic and put it towards racing, and here we are today.”
TRICON Garage Welcomes Legendary Drivers for the 2024 Season
Gilliland’s TRICON Garage continues to attract top-tier talent, including motorsport legends like seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti. This season, Franchitti will drive the No. 1 truck on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, while in June, Johnson is scheduled to race in San Diego around the Naval Base Coronado, marking a significant milestone for the team.
Gilliland expresses excitement about these partnerships:
“Two legends, right? Coming and wanting to be part of TRICON Garage. So it’s very, very special… to have those guys raise their hand and want to be part of what we’re doing and have the faith and confidence in our team to come and race those races with us is very special.”
He adds,
“So it’s a neat, neat thing. I raced with Jimmie when he was winning a lot of those championships, raced against him, and so for him to come over and race with us is pretty special. It’s really exciting to do stuff like that with that open truck.”
From Daytona Rookie to Team Owner
Gilliland’s racing career includes memorable milestones such as leading the field as a 30-year-old rookie in the 2007 Daytona 500, earning pole position for “The Great American Race.” He reflects on the significance of Daytona in his career:
“Pulling into Daytona, no matter where you race or you grew up racing or what level or anything like that, Daytona is always circled high on your list of being able to come to, let alone race here and let alone competitively race here. So to be able to come and do that is something very special and something that will mean a lot to me my entire life.”
Nearly two decades later, Gilliland experienced the race from a new vantage point as a team owner, standing on the grid with Martin Truex Jr. behind the wheel of his TRICON Garage car.
“Who knows if we’ll do it again or not, but it was definitely a heck of an experience. And to be out on the grid, with the ownership banner of TRICON Garage out there to start and race the Daytona 500 was pretty special,”
he says.
The Evolution into Team Ownership and Focus on Family
Though racing has been central to Gilliland’s life, the move into team ownership was unplanned. He stepped away from full-time racing in 2015 to support his son’s racing pursuits, saying,
“I quit racing full time in 2015… My son was racing and didn’t want to miss his stuff and wanted to go there and be able to help him.”
His involvement grew from building race cars and assisting behind the scenes to becoming co-owner of TRICON Garage. Gilliland admits,
“So I’ve certainly never, ever had goals or dreams of being a team owner for sure. But it’s kind of where we’re at, and like everything else I do in life, I try and do the best I can and put my best foot forward. And I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to do.”
TRICON Garage’s Recent Success and Future Ambitions
Last year, TRICON Garage achieved a landmark victory, capturing the Truck Series Championship for the first time thanks to Corey Heim’s outstanding season, which included 12 wins and a dramatic championship race finish in Phoenix. Gilliland reflects on their journey:
“We were in the championship hunt the previous two years and kind of left there with heartbreak. So certainly know that anything can happen, and it’s a heck of an accomplishment.”
He praises Heim’s talent and dedication:
“Corey Heim is an incredibly special talent that’s come through our series and our organization, and very proud of him and proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together. We want nothing but the best for Corey. He’s like family to us and think the world of him and what he’s been able to accomplish here and have high hopes of what he’ll be able to accomplish throughout the rest of his career as well.”
Heim has stepped back from full-time Truck Series racing this year but will still make select appearances in the No. 1 truck. The team fills other seats with Kaden Honeycutt, Tanner Gray, and Gio Ruggiero competing full-time. The No. 1 and No. 5 trucks also feature various drivers part-time.
Regarding the 2024 season’s outlook, Gilliland states,
“I think we expect to be running for the championship again and winning races. And a great mixture of drivers and trucks that can win. So our goal is to go to the racetrack each and every week and compete for that win. And between the five trucks, we are confident that we can do that.”
Ambitions Beyond the Truck Series
After TRICON Garage’s recent entry into the Daytona 500, Gilliland reveals aspirations to expand their presence in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series.
“I think we’d like to [enter Daytona 500 again] if the right opportunity comes around. Certainly that was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”
He stresses the importance of steady progress:
“But it’s just like driving, your ultimate goals are for the Cup Series. And so we’d like to get there someday. We don’t have any set plans of how or when, but I always say, put your head down and win races. Winning races helps everything.”
Gilliland concludes,
“And so that’s what we’ve tried to do. And we did a good job of that last year. And, you know, that helps everything grow.”
