Cassill’s NASCAR “Growth Spurt” Started At Gateway!

Rewind to last July when Landon Cassill (No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet) had just turned 18. With that birthday, he was eligible to step out as a test driver for Hendrick Motorsports’ Car of Tomorrow program and into his first NASCAR Nationwide Series ride at Gateway International Raceway, located five hours from his hometown in Cedar Rapids, Ia.

He navigated his first race quite well, starting a surprising sixth but was caught up in an accident midway through and although he finished, was disappointed with the final outcome in front of family and friends.

But in the year since, Cassill’s direction has pointed toward improvement — and success.

He makes his series return this week following a one-race layoff that was proceeded by the longest consecutive race streak (five) of his career. In that span, Cassill, who turned 19 on July 7, posted two top-10 finishes and also registered his first career pole.

Now driving for the merged JR Motorsports-Hendrick team, Cassill has had the opportunity to learn from some of the best NASCAR has to offer.

His teammates include two-time series champion Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mark Martin, the all-time series leader in wins and poles, two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and 1994 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion David Green who earlier served as Cassill’s spotter.

Cassill knows he’s grown as a driver over the last year and realizes there’s room for more.

“I feel like I have a higher level of confidence then I did a year ago,” he said. “I’ll be better next year than I was this year, too.”