YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RECAP
2006 Finished 42nd in series points. … Made NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series debut at Infineon Raceway in June 2006.
… Joined Robert Yates Racing in August. … Recorded first career pole and career-best finish of 15th place, at
Talladega Superspeedway in October.… Matched career-best finish with 15th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway
in November.
PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY
Began career in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series; first as a crew chief for his father Butch’s team,
which won the series championship in 1997. … Competed on a limited basis in the West Series from 1997-2002,
while also racing in the Super Late Model division at Irwindale Speedway and other Southern California short tracks.
…Raced in the NASCAR Southwest Series in 2003, collecting five wins. … Raced full-time in the West Series from
2004-05, winning 2004 Rookie of the Year honors and posting two victories. … Won Grand National Division portion
of 2005 NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale. … Made NASCAR Busch Series debut in 2005, at Phoenix.
… Joined an upstart, un-sponsored team for a limited NASCAR Busch Series schedule in 2006 and scored a dramatic
“upset” victory in his seventh career start, at Kentucky Speedway in June 2006. … Made NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
Series debut with a team owned by Bryan Mullet, at Infineon Raceway in June, before joining Robert Yates Racing in
August 2006.
NOTEWORTHY
Gilliland is also planning to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2007, for team owner Ed Rensi. … In high school,
Gilliland played on the golf team with Tiger Woods.
