NASCAR Cup

Richmond: David Gilliland preview

Gilliland Returns with a Need for Speed Team Confident Going into Richmond Qualifying Statesville, N.C. (April 27, 2010) - David Gilliland returns to the cockpit of the No. 37 Taco Bell Ford at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this weekend for ...

Published: Apr 28, 2010, 5:40 PM

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Gilliland Returns with a Need for Speed
Team Confident Going into Richmond Qualifying

Statesville, N.C. (April 27, 2010) - David Gilliland returns to the cockpit of the No. 37 Taco Bell Ford at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this weekend for the Heath Calhoun 400. With his Front Row Motorsports team "leaps and bounds" ahead of where it was at the beginning of the season, Gilliland carries confidence into Friday's qualifying session, where the team has the opportunity to qualify on speed.

Gilliland stepped out of the No. 37 Ford last week at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, where Robert Richardson Jr. drove his second of three 2010 races for Front Row. The veteran driver still got some seat time last week, participating in the Goodyear tire test for Front Row at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This weekend's event will be Gilliland's eighth start at the .75-mile oval. His best Richmond finish is 18th.

Comments from Taco Bell Driver David Gilliland on Richmond International Raceway and the Team's Progress:

"Richmond is a fun track to race on. It's kind of a little bit different type of racetrack. It's a short track, kind of closer to what I grew up racing on. It's a fun track, I enjoy going there. But pit road's really tight. I've had trouble on pit road there. If you car's handling good, it's a lot of fun. If it's not, it's a long night.

"Having a fast car is the best answer to staying out of trouble. If you're running toward the back, people seem to race harder back there, and it's a lot easier to get in trouble. If the car's handling well and it's fast, you can usually stay out of the mess.

"As a fan, no matter what seat you're sitting in, you're right on top of the action at all times. And there is plenty of action. There's pushin' and shovin' and everything else. It's a great race. I went and watched a Nationwide race there one time before I started racing in the Nationwide series. It is a great race for the fans, and hopefully we'll have a great car and we can put on a good show.

"I don't think it will affect me to have been out of the car for Talladega leading up to Richmond because the tracks are so different. And also, I was in the car Tuesday and Wednesday before Talladega testing at Indianapolis. Seat time is always good and it's never good to be out of the car, but I'm thinking it's not going to affect us at all. We have to qualify on speed this week but I'm confident the Taco Bell Ford team can get the job done.

"The team's performance so far has exceeded a lot of expectations, especially ones that I had. I feel like we're progressing well as a team and everybody's working really hard. Front Row Motorsports is leaps and bounds ahead of where we were at the start of the season. (Team owner) Bob Jenkins has given us good tools to work with, and I feel like all three of our teams are working closer than ever, and I feel like that's a big step in getting closer to the results that we feel we need to have each and every week."

-source: front row motorsports

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