David Gilliland

David Gilliland, No. 34 Taco Bell Ford

Starting Position: 40 

Finishing Position: 29
 

David Gilliland and the No. 34 Taco Bell team finished 29th in Sunday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 after working to improve a tough-handling car over the course of the 200-lap event.

Gilliland started in the 40th position and had a fast start, jumping up eight positions in the first four laps.  A fast pit stop on Lap 8 under the race's first caution helped him gain even more positions, putting him in 28th for the restart.  

During each of the next five pit stops, crew chief Peter Sospenzo called for adjustments to help the car turn better and get more drive coming off the corners. Gilliland reported that the car was improving, but that after a good start, the handling would worsen over a long run.

The team did return from a lap down after earning a "Lucky Dog" pass on the race's third caution on Lap 84.  But some untimely cautions that followed -- two that came right after Gilliland had pitted under green -- impeded further progress.  He eventually finished the race in 29th.
 
Comments from Taco Bell Ford team driver David Gilliland after the Michigan race:

"We just didn't have what we needed in our car today.  The whole weekend, actually, we struggled with getting our Taco Bell Ford Fusion to run well on this track. 

"But we're off to Infineon next week.  Can't wait to get there.  I love road-course racing, and we've been out testing, so I think it'll be a much better weekend."

Travis Kvapil

Travis Kvapil, No. 38 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ford

Starting Position: 28

Finishing Position: 31

Travis Kvapil started Sunday's race in the 28th position thanks to a fast qualifying run on Saturday.  He was looking for a good run with his No. 38 Ford carrying the names of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Wes Leonard Heart Team.

Kvapil reported in the early laps that his car was a little free through the turns, but "not bad."  But by Lap 32 after two pit stops, he reported the car had loosened up a lot more as he slipped back to the 32nd spot.  Crew chief Jay Guy ordered various air-pressure and chassis changes over the course of the next four pit stops, and Kvapil's lap times improved as he passed multiple cars for position.

But Kvapil started easing up on the throttle with about 40 laps remaining when he was told he had to conserve gas to make it to the finish.  A caution period with eight laps remaining helped the conservation effort, and he was able to make it to the checkered flag in 31st.

Comments from Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ford team driver Travis Kvapil after the Michigan race:

"We were pretty good at the start of the race.  A little free, but it wasn't too bad.  But then it just seemed like from our third run on, it just got worse.  We threw a lot of stuff at it to try to help, but just never got it as good as we started.

"I would have liked to have had a better finish for the Wes Leonard Heart Team.  But we still enjoyed having them at the track today, and I hope it was a cool experience for them and that we were able to help get the word out to help their cause."

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