Noah Gragson and FRM drivers take their shot at the 'perfect' college basketball bracket

NASCAR drivers and teammates Noah Gragson, Zane Smith, and Todd Gilliland teamed up to create the perfect college basketball bracket. The three drivers starred in a video shared to their team Front Row Motorsports' social media account which featured the trio filling out the NCAA bracket for the March Madness tournament.

The tournament features 68 college-level US basketball teams battling each other in single-elimination matches and competing in seven rounds for the national championship title.

The Front Row Motorsports drivers worked together in the video, that was shared earlier today to the organization's X (formerly Twitter) account, to make their picks for who they believe will win the NCAA men's basketball championship, whittling down the list of 68 teams to their choice of the winner. The #4 driver Noah Gragson predicted early in the video:

"I'm calling it right now, Michigan State." [1:25]

In the Cup Series, all three Front Row Motorsports drivers have secured one Top 10 finish in their five starts this season.

Todd Gilliland secured a tenth place finish at the race that took place at the Circuit of The Americas at the beginning of the month. Noah Gragson achieved an eighth place finish at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix that took place at COTA. Zane Smith, piloting the #38 for FRM, secured a ninth place finish at the next race at the Phoenix Raceway.

---

FRM's Noah Gragson and teammates discussed their dynamic as friends and co-workers

Zane Smith (38) alongside Noah Gragson (4) during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, February 14th 2025 - Source: Imagn

Noah Gragson, Zane Smith, and Todd Gilliland have been friends longer than they have been teammates of a NASCAR Cup Series team. All three drivers have spent parts of their careers in racing competing against one another, allowing for a build-up of relationships that is helpful for their current time together in Front Row Motorsports.

Speaking about their history together, Zane Smith said:

“At first, we were all at times in different series, which is weird to look back on. At one point, Noah and I were teammates — I was part-time and Noah was on the Xfinity side. Todd was in trucks a year before me and then I was in trucks for four years and joined Todd there. Then obviously, at that point we’re all pretty much hanging out together every weekend. And now we’ve found each other all teammates on Sunday which is super cool.”

Todd Gilliland spoke about how the three have differing personalities which tends to come out during their team meetings.

“I think Noah’s always very outspoken, Zane is always very relaxed and I’m somewhere in the middle. It’s super funny at the meetings, we all have our different personalities and the way we do things but it’s fun when it all comes together.”

Noah Gragson shared that their differing personalities are a benefit for each other, saying:

“Actually everyone kind of compliments one another in a certain way.” [via NASCAR]

Gragson, Gilliland, and Smith will all be back in their respective vehicles for the next race in the Cup Series calendar, the Straight Talk Wireless 400 which takes place at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida. The race starts at 3:00 PM E.T. on March 23rd.