Catchfence

Same Set-Up, New Crew Chief

Statesville, N.C. (August 31, 2010) - David Gilliland is hoping to hit the “rewind” button at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. The driver of the No. 37 Taco Bell Ford was gunning for a top-15 finish in the March 7 race at the 1.54-mile oval when he got taken out in an accident. He will return this week with the same set-up in hopes of picking up where he left off before that late-race wreck.

The Atlanta race brings a change atop the pit box for Gilliland. A Front Row Motorsports crew chief swap will put NASCAR veteran Peter Sospenzo at the helm of the Taco Bell Ford team beginning this weekend. Randy Seals, who previously led Gilliland’s team, will call the shots for teammate Dave Blaney. The team and pit crew working under each crew chief will switch also.

Gilliland has eight previous Sprint Cup starts at the track in Hampton, Ga., with a top finish of 15th. He finished 26th in the March race after the late-race accident.

Comments from Taco Bell Ford Team Driver David Gilliland on Atlanta and the Crew Chief Change:

“The first race at Atlanta, we felt really good. It was really one of our best races so far this year. The car was really good, but we got caught up in an accident right at the end. I think we were running 15th or so when we ran into problems. But it was a great car, so we’re going back to the same set-up. I’m really excited because I think we learned a lot the first time we were there and we’ll be able to carry some momentum going back there.

“Atlanta is just really fun. You run all over the track, looking for grip constantly throughout the race, and you’re kind of sliding around while doing that. It’s a lot of fun when your car is good, but it’s not so fun when it’s not. It’s a track I always look forward to going to.

“A place like Atlanta changes so much with the grip and with the track being kind of worn out. It just makes it really temperature-sensitive. It’s definitely a challenge to adjust from day to night, but you’ve just got to shoot for overall balance, and that’s what we’re going to do.

“You see a lot of teams making changes with crew chiefs. I know Roush does it quite often and a lot of the other teams have done it, making internal changes switching drivers from team to team. As much as anything, I think there was just a need for change at Front Row Motorsports. Sometimes just changing the combination of people working together can provide a new spark, just because it’s different. And hopefully it will be good for both teams.

“I felt like Randy (Seals) did a great job as my crew chief with the limited experience he’s had on the Cup side. We’ve had really fast race cars, so he’s done a fantastic job. But it was just time for change to help everyone progress.”

About Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing:

Front Row Motorsports was formed in 2005 by restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins. Since that time the team has entered a car in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2010, Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing will partner with Ford and Roush/Yates Engines to field a three-car operation based in Statesville, N.C. The team fields the Long John Silver’s Ford driven by Travis Kvapil, the Taco Bell Ford driven by David Gilliland and the A&W All American Food Ford driven by Dave Blaney.

- Breaking Limits Marketing for Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing, Press Release