David Gilliland, now co-owner of the NASCAR Truck Series team TRICON Garage, first faced a defining moment while playing golf alongside Tiger Woods on their high school team in Anaheim, California. Recognizing his own strengths and limits early on, Gilliland decided driving race cars was his true path. This realization propelled him into a successful motorsport career and eventually into team ownership alongside racing legends like Jimmie Johnson NASCAR team owner collaborations.
Applying Tiger Woods’ Work Ethic to Racing
Watching a young Tiger Woods break records and showcase unparalleled dedication left a lasting impression on Gilliland.
“He was awesome back then, breaking all the records and doing all that,”
Gilliland said.
“So proud of what he’s been able to go and do and accomplish. He worked really hard and was really focused and dedicated to his golf game back then. And obviously, you see the results that come with that. So I kind of took some of that work ethic and put it towards racing, and here we are today.”
This blend of competitive drive and focus helped Gilliland navigate the challenges of professional racing and eventual team leadership.
Building TRICON Garage into a Competitive Force
Gilliland’s venture into team ownership has allowed him to work with top-tier talent and bring experience to the NASCAR Truck Series. Recently, four-time IndyCar champion and three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti returned to drive the No. 1 TRICON Garage truck on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Looking ahead, seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will race for the team in June when NASCAR debuts at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.
Gilliland reflected on these partnerships:
“Coming and wanting to be part of TRICON Garage. So it’s very, very special. Again, goes back to kind of what we’ve built and our goals when we started this whole thing. And so 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 further added,
“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.”
– David Gilliland, Co-owner TRICON Garage
From Rookie Driver to Esteemed Team Owner
Gilliland’s own driving career featured a memorable moment in 2007 as a 30-year-old rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he led the Daytona 500 field after securing the pole position for the race famously dubbed ‘The Great American Race.’ Reflecting on the significance, he said,
“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.”
Years later, he experienced the event again, this time as a team owner with reigning Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. behind the wheel.
“Who knows if we’ll do it again or not,”
Gilliland explained.
“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.”
Transitioning from Driver to Owner Made Possible by Family Priorities
Unexpectedly, Gilliland shifted from full-time driving in 2015 to focus on supporting his son’s racing career, a move that eventually evolved into his current ownership role. Reflecting on this shift, he stated,
“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. And so I quit racing full-time and started building race cars and doing stuff. And it just kind of morphed into kind of what it is today.”
He admits he never originally envisioned being a team owner but has embraced the role with determination and pride:
“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.”
Success and Challenges with TRICON Garage
TRICON Garage clinched the NASCAR Truck Series Championship for the first time last year, thanks to Corey Heim’s dominant performance with 12 wins culminating in an exciting victory at the Championship race in Phoenix. Gilliland reflected on the 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. You’ve got to take those when you get them because they don’t come very often. So a lot of hard work, dedication.”
He also praised Heim’s talent and relationship with the team:
“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.”
Current Team Lineup and Ambitions for the Season
Following Heim’s partial departure from the full-time Truck schedule, TRICON Garage has solidified three full-time drivers: Kaden Honeycutt, Tanner Gray, and Gio Ruggiero, alongside multiple part-time entries in the No. 1 and No. 5 trucks. Gilliland expressed confidence in the team’s competitiveness:
“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.”
Looking Ahead: Ambitions Beyond the Truck Series
Building on last year’s experience at the Daytona 500, Gilliland dreams of expanding TRICON Garage’s reach to more high-profile Cup Series events. He said,
“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. 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. 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.”
Gilliland’s story is one of passion transformed from golf into racing, changes fueled by ambition, family, and respect for champions like Tiger Woods and Jimmie Johnson. His commitment to competing at the highest levels of NASCAR ensures that TRICON Garage remains a team to watch, with a road that leads from truck victories toward the sport’s most prestigious events.
