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Press Release

For Immediate Release


Front Row Motorsports 
Hollywood Casino 400 Race Report

  

Kansas Speedway, 1.5-mile oval, Kansas City, Kansas

 David Gilliland
David Gilliland

David Gilliland, No. 34 A&W All American Food Ford

Starting Position: 30

Finishing Position: 32
 

David Gilliland and the No. 34 A&W All American Food Ford team finished 32nd in Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400 after working all weekend to get their car adjusted to Kansas Speedway.

The team started 30th, with Gilliland reporting early that his car was difficult to turn through the center of the turns and that he was too loose to get to the gas well exiting those turns.  "Tight in the center" and "need drive off" were comments heard on the radio throughout the afternoon.  

The team made multiple adjustments with every pit stop, trying to get the A&W Ford handling better on the low-banked oval.  Unfortunately, the car never responded well enough for Gilliland to race his way out of the 30s range of the leaderboard in a race that featured quite a few long, green-flag runs.  After a long day made longer by a green-white-checkered finish, the team finished 32nd.

Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag for his second victory of the season and a boost in his effort to win a sixth consecutive Sprint Cup championship.
 

Comments from A&W All American Food Ford driver David Gilliland after the Kansas race:

 

"I don't know what it is about this track, but it's just always been tough for us.  From the time we rolled off the truck, Peter (crew chief Peter Sospenzo) and the guys worked on trying to make it better all weekend.  And we did get it better, but track conditions changed during the race and it just seemed like we were always chasing it.

"I can't wait to get to Charlotte, though.  It's great racing at home and it's a track we run well at, so I'm really looking forward to next weekend."

Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil

Travis Kvapil, No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford

Starting Position: 36

Finishing Position: 27


Travis Kvapil and the No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford team finished 27th in Sunday's race in an event that featured good pit-road adjustments, quick pit stops and even a few laps in the lead.

Kvapil started the race in 36th position but quickly moved up to 31st in the opening laps.  On a Lap-19 caution for a spin by Bobby Labonte, the team elected not to pit and stayed out to lead three laps (and pick up a bonus point) before leading the field to the green on the restart.

With most of the field having pitted for fresh tires under yellow, Kvapil dropped from the lead toward the back of the pack, where the team worked on assessing the car's handling.  Kvapil was in 35th when he made his first pit stop under green-flag conditions on Lap 45. The team worked to tighten up the car, which Kvapil said was "free everywhere."

Over the course of the 272-lap event, the Long John Silver's Ford fluctuated between free and tight, but the team made good, fast adjustments to help Kvapil behind the wheel.  After his brief visit to the lead, he ran most of the race in the 30s near his teammate Gilliland, but made some strong passes in the final 30 laps to cross the finish line 27th.

The team took advantage of a bad day for the No. 71 car, gaining 11 points on the car that holds 35th place in the owner point standings.  The No. 38 team is now 28 points outside the top 35 with six races remaining.

 

Comments from Long John Silver's Ford team driver Travis Kvapil after the Kansas race:

 

"The car wasn't anything spectacular but the guys got it pretty close over the course of the race.  We kind of went back and forth between being free and tight, but we were never too terribly far off.  The guys did a good job all weekend making our Long John Silver's Ford better and they did a good job on pit road, too.  And we gained about a dozen points on the 71, so it was a good day."

About Front Row Motorsports:

Front Row Motorsports is a Statesville, N.C.-based race team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Formed in 2005 by restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, the team has competed in NASCAR racing in each year since its inception, expanding full-time to the premier Sprint Cup Series in 2009.  The team partners with Ford Racing and Roush-Yates Racing Engines to field the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford driven by David Gilliland, the No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford driven by Travis Kvapil and the No. 55 Front Row Motorsports Ford driven by J.J. Yeley.
 

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Contact:

Shari Spiewak

Breaking Limits
403 Gilead Road, Suite A
Huntersville, NC  28078
Cell:  704-200-1779

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