DAVID GILLILAND, M&M’S® RACING
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
March 11, 2007
GILLILAND LOOKS AHEAD TO VEGAS CUP DEBUT
CHARLOTTE, NC (March 6, 2007) – David Gilliland will make his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Sunday’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. The driver of the M&M’S® #38 Ford is off to a solid start in his first full NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season with a current position of 11th in the NEXTEL Cup Series championship point standings.
Quoting M&M’S Driver David Gilliland:
Las Vegas marks the first race in a string of four straight races for the NEXTEL Cup Series. Do you feel like this is the start of the “real season?”
“No, not really. This race is definitely important though. All the teams came out and tested at Las Vegas in January and we (the #38 Team) had a really good test here so we feel a little pressure in the fact that we want to back it up this weekend. We are bringing a brand new car to the track this weekend, one we tested here in January, and we feel confident that we will be up to speed when we take the track on Friday.”
“As far as starting the “real season”, I feel we started that in Daytona. We’ve been accumulating championship points the first two races just like we will for each race for the rest of the year. We would have liked to run better in California but overall I think as a team we are happy with where we sit right now in the point standings (Gilliland is currently 11th). The next couple of races are important but I feel like Todd Parrott has our team prepared.”
With the new track configuration at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, do you feel that you are at less of a disadvantage in your first Cup start there this weekend?
“Absolutely, I feel I am at much less of a disadvantage than I would’ve been last season. Everyone is back to square one with the new configuration so with the momentum from our test, we have hopefully laid the foundation for a good weekend. We’ll get to run the Busch race on Saturday, like several other NEXTEL Cup drivers, and that should help me for Sunday.”
NOTES
DAVID GILLILAND APPEARANCE -- David Gilliland, driver of the M&M’S Ford, will host an autograph appearance on Thursday, March 8th at M&M’S World® Las Vegas, Nevada. The appearance will begin at 6 p.m. To receive an autograph, fans will need a ticket. 300 tickets will be distributed at M&M’S World on the fourth floor beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning. M&M’S World® Las Vegas is located in the Showcase Mall next to the MGM Hotel and Casino.