He was two car lengths behind the winner of the Southeast Limited Late Models event on Sunday, but second-place finisher 13-year-old Todd Gilliland showed that he’s got some skills in the seat of a race car. Todd is the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Gilliland and drove in just his third race in a stock car on Sunday at Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina.
Todd Gilliland started the event in the fifth position and slipped back to 13th early. That didn’t phase him as he started climbing through the field. By lap 58, he entered into the top 10 and was battling for the third spot on lap 79. With seven laps to go, he reached the second spot.
A caution came out with only five laps to go which set the field for a green-white-checkered flag finish. Gilliland couldn’t catch the leader and no one could catch him as he finished runner-up in the 100-lap race.
Gilliland is only an eighth grade student but is creating quite the racing resume. He has two top-10 finishes in three late model starts since September. He just entered stock car racing after winning the 2013 USAC World Formula National Quarter Midget Championship.
Todd Gilliland Racing is now taking time this holiday season to prepare for a full season of late-model racing in 2014.
