David Gilliland

David Gilliland, No. 34 Taco Bell Ford

Starting Position: 30

Finishing Position: 29
 

David Gilliland and the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford team finished 29th during Sunday's 5-Hour Energy 500 at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway.  Gilliland and the Taco Bell team had a fast Ford Fusion all afternoon, but fell victim to one of only four cautions of the day.  The team had just completed its fifth pit stop on Lap 108  when a yellow flag flew on Lap 112 for debris.  The untimely caution sent Gilliland two laps down to the leaders. 

The team was able take advantage of the wave-around rule to get one lap back, and raced for nearly 20 laps in the "Lucky Dog" position, but were just never able to get back on the lead lap.  Gilliland was one of only five cars one lap down at the end of the race, a disappointing set of circumstances considering Gilliland was relatively happy with the car all afternoon.  Crew chief Peter Sospenzo made several chassis and air-pressure adjustments throughout the afternoon -- moves that pleased Gilliland at the end of the 500-miler.  

Comments from Taco Bell Ford team driver David Gilliland after the Pocono race:

"The car was night and day different at the end of the race. We weren't too bad early, but I couldn't get the drive off the flat turns.  I think the guys did a great job of making it better and we were looking really good just past the 100-lap mark.  That one caution just killed us.  We were just pitting early and a debris caution put us in a position too difficult to overcome.  But, I'm pleased with the effort today."

Sam Hornish Jr.

Sam Hornish Jr., No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford

Starting Position: 26

Finishing Position: 35

Sam Hornish Jr.'s 2011 return to the Sprint Cup Series was not as memorable as he and Front Row Motorsports hoped.  The racer didn't have much opportunity to make his mark after his No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford suffered a broken oil line about 40 laps into the 200-lap event. 

Hornish started the race in the 26th position and, before the mechanical problem, was battling a loose racecar.  By the team's first pit stop on Lap 18, they had slipped back to 32nd.  Crew chief Jay Guy ordered multiple changes on the stop to help tighten up the car for Hornish.  About 20 laps later, the team was discussing what changes they could make to help the No. 38 Ford further when Hornish reported something was burning under the hood.

The team diagnosed the problem on pit road as a broken main oil line and took the car to the garage for repair -- a tricky fix that cost about 60 laps.  Once the line was replaced and Hornish returned to the track, the team kept working to improve the car for the rest of the race and pick off as many positions as they could.  Hornish gained three more positions over the remainder of the race to finish 35th.

The team had hoped to earn enough points Sunday to move into the top 35 in the ownership rankings, but instead will go to Michigan next week 13 points out.

Comments from Long John Silver's Ford team driver Sam Hornish Jr. after the Pocono race:

"Obviously that's not how we wanted our day to go.  The car was loose but we were working on trying to get it better when the oil line went.  So obviously we lost a bunch of time in the garage getting that repaired.  It's disappointing, of course.  But, it was good to be back in a Cup car this weekend and hopefully I'll be back again soon."

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