GILLILAND REBOUNDS FOR TOP-20 FINISH AT PHOENIX

Source: BGR
Date: 11/13/2006

Late cautions and high attrition combined with a well-balanced car gave M&M’S driver David Gilliland the opportunity to rebound and finish the Checkers Auto Parts 500k at Phoenix International Raceway in the 16th position.

After starting in the 13th position, Gilliland kept the car up toward the front and in the top 15 throughout the first half of the race Sunday afternoon. During pit stops, the M&M’S crew worked to loosen up the #38 Ford Fusion as tight conditions in the corner made it difficult for Gilliland to gain much ground on the leaders. The good run, however, would be derailed momentarily as a miscue in the pits had Gilliland losing six spots on the track.

Keeping himself in the top 20, Gilliland was 19th when the caution fell at lap 227. Having sustained slight damage to the front fender, the crew went to work and pulled out the sheet metal, taking their time and making sure it was done correctly. Returning to the track as the final car on the lead lap, the #38 M&M’S Ford was posted in the 26th position.

When the next caution fell just 23 laps later, crew chief Todd Parrott made the call to remain on the track and lead a lap, earning five valuable points. A multi-car accident that occurred on lap 274 saw Gilliland narrowly missing the carnage although the car did sustain damage to the hood when he tapped the #12 car as it slowed. Able to continue, Gilliland kept himself and the #38 M&M’S Ford out of harms way as there were five caution periods in the final 70 laps including one with five remaining that forced NASCAR to drop the red flag and stop the cars in turns one and two.

When NASCAR restarted the race with three laps remaining, Gilliland was posted in the 13th position and, although he faltered slightly, he was able to hold on for a 16th-place finish.

“It was so hard to see out there when the sun started to fade behind the grandstands that I wasn’t surprised to see drivers starting to have problems,” said Gilliland. “It was a good weekend for the M&M’S team – we qualified well, practiced well and had a good race. We continue to move in the right direction and I’m very happy with the way we are performing.”

Gilliland’s Robert Yates Racing teammate, Dale Jarrett had a decent run until an accident on lap 292 severely damaged the #88 UPS Ford and forced the team to retire. Jarrett was poised to finish in the top 20 but the late race incident with Sterling Marlin sent Jarrett into the wall and effectively ended the UPS Team’s day with a 39th-place finish.

“It was just that kind of day for us,” Jarrett said. “We were in position to make up some lost track position but I got hit by the 14 car. The car is pretty much done. Hopefully we can get something better at Homestead next weekend.”

Kevin Harvick swept the Phoenix races this season as he took the checkered flag to claim his fifth victory of the year. The win moved him into third in the Chase for the Championship, 90 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, who finished second in the 312-lap race. Rookie Denny Hamlin finished third followed by Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards.

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season finale is upon us as the teams head south to Homestead, Fla., for the Ford 400 on Sunday, November 19. The pre-race television broadcast is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (EST) on the NBC Television Network with the green flag scheduled to fall at 2:55 p.m. Radio broadcast will be over the Motor Racing Network (MRN) airwaves.

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