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NASCAR Cup

Gilliland: Trial and error at the Pocono triangle

38 team benefits from closely scheduled races

Edited: Jun 1, 2018, 2:48 PM

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David Gilliland

STATESVILLE, N.C. (July 30, 2013) - With the Sprint Cup Series' two races at Pocono Raceway scheduled so close together, it makes for easy comparing and contrasting. David Gilliland and his No. 38 Long John Silver's team still have fresh in their minds what worked and what didn't when the team visited the Long Pond, Pa., track just eight weeks ago.

David Gilliland

Photo by: Action Sports Photography

The team earned a 24th-place finish during its first visit to the 2.5-mile triangular track this season. Trial and error helped the crew to learn what works well for the Gen-6 car on the unique track - and what doesn't. Rained-out practice and qualifying sessions shortened the teams' time on track during that race weekend, though. They'll look forward to more prep time for this weekend's GoBowling.com 400.

The event will be Gilliland's 15th Sprint Cup Series start at Pocono. He has four straight top-25 finishes over the past two years. His best career finish was 16th (2008).

Comments from Long John Silver's team driver David Gilliland heading to Pocono:

"Pocono is starting to get a little bit of the bumps back since the repave, especially down there in Turn 1, it seems like. We definitely learned a lot when we were there a few weeks back. We didn't run as well as we would've liked, but we also missed out on some practice time due to the rain. We also tried some new stuff to see how it would work, and so maybe we ruled some things out for what to go back with.

"The track still has a lot of grip. It's a fun racetrack and a very unique place - different than anywhere else we go to. You'll always have the challenge of trying to make one corner work best for you and then kind of working backwards from there.

"I like to focus on Turn 3, getting a good run off that corner exit and getting some power down the straightaway. One thing we all know for sure is you're not going to be happy in all three corners. That's just the way it is. And that's why it's so unique."

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