Mile-and-a-half tracks used to be the biggest challenge for Front Row Motorsports, but the numbers prove that David Gilliland and his No. 38 team are making progress. The Long John Silver’s crew has averaged a top-25 finish at the intermediate tracks this season and goes into Chicagoland Speedway this weekend with confidence.
The 1.5-mile oval in Joliet, Ill., will offer another chance for Gilliland and crew chief Frank Kerr to show the strides taken by the Front Row team on the so-called “cookie cutter” tracks, where the team averaged a 29th-place finish in 2012.
Sunday’s Geico 400 will be Gilliland’s seventh start at Chicagoland. His best career finish is 16th (2007).
Comments from Long John Silver’s team driver David Gilliland heading to Chicago:
“Chicagoland Speedway is unique. The backstretch is definitely curved and you feel like you’re turning the whole time. It’s definitely different from the other tracks we go to.
“A few weeks ago we ran really well at Michigan, and we feel like we can take that package to Chicago just because some of the banking is similar, and it’s smooth without a lot of bumps. I feel like that style of racetrack we’ve been getting our hands around, so we’re going into Chicago with a lot of confidence.
“When they first pave these racetracks, it seems like you’re confined to the bottom, and that’s just where you’ve got to run. Once the tracks mature and age, the groove definitely widens out and you can definitely have options on where you want to run. I remember last year some people were running right up against the wall and able to find grip up there. So, you’re going to see it all this weekend.”
FRM PR
