[thunderfoot]

That sounds inviting

[thunderfoot]

I know there is something from the land of the Kiwi worth while

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

That sounds inviting

Sounds like a bet to me. I'm printing this thread out so I can come back in 2 years and collect.

[thunderfoot]

My granddaddy raised me right. A deals a deal, no matter how long its on the shelf.

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

And yes I would say you are correct in seeing Davey in David. It's fitting that he has gone with RYR. I wonder if any one there see's this also. The hardest working man in show business they say was James Brown, I say it's David Gilliland.

I think others see that too!! Here's a DON'T miss site to check out and or join up, David Gilliland's Message Board
I'm a member!! When I joined they were shooting for 200 members, now we are up to 320!!

[Team Yates]

[Team Yates]

From www.M&Ms.com

David Gilliland BiographyDRIVER, M&M’S® #38 FORD FUSION
Birth date: April 1, 1976 ¨ Hometown: Riverside, CA
Spouse: Michelle ♦ Children: Todd, Taylor

Sunny, southern California, known for its beautiful beaches and big movie stars, is a long way from the southern shorts tracks where NASCAR is king. But over the past decade a steady stream of hopeful drivers have traveled from the Golden State to chase their dreams of becoming a stock car driver in NASCAR’s top series. The latest name on the list is that of Riverside native David Gilliland, driver for M&M’S® Chocolate Candies, who after a quiet West Coast career made a big entrance into the world of NASCAR.
Following in the footsteps of a racing family, Gilliland spent the majority of his youth working on the race cars driven by his father Butch. Working his way through the ranks on his father’s team, Gilliland moved from mechanic to crew chief on the #38 NASCAR Winston West team at the young age of 19. Just a year later, he was awarded the Champion Crew Chief of the Year award for the series when his dad clinched the 1997 Winston West Championship.
Gilliland’s talent underneath the hood paved the way to his climbing behind the wheel the following season as he split time between his crew chief duties and the driver’s seat. In seven starts at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, Gilliland took home two checkered flags in the stock car division. The following season Gilliland became a regular at Perris winning 14 out of 15 heat races and nine out of 15 main events in the stock car division.
In 2000, Gilliland built his own late model team and began competing at Irwindale Speedway on a full-time basis. His efforts proved rewarding as he landed in victory lane twice that season before making the jump the following year to the to the NASCAR Southwest Tour, where he won his first regional touring race in only his fourth start. Staying in the Southwest Tour the following season Gilliland posted five victories and finished top-10 in the championship point standings.
Now a regular on the West Coast stock car circuit, Gilliland found himself behind the wheel of a NASCAR Grand National West Series machine in 2004. Just as he had before, Gilliland made quick work of the learning curve in a new series and reached victory lane in only his second Grand National West Series start. The California native captured the Rookie of Year honors for the Grand National Series while also competing in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series.
In 2005, Gilliland again competed in the West Series scoring another win along with numerous top-five and top-ten finishes. During this same season, he posted his biggest victory to date by winning the Toyota All-Star Showdown.
Even with all his success on the West Coast, Gilliland could not keep his focus from drifting east to North Carolina. At the start of 2006, Gilliland moved his family 3000 miles away from their home state to Charlotte to take a chance on finding a ride in one of NASCAR’s top-three series. Gilliland’s break came after teaming up with fellow California native and team owner Clay Andrews to run a partial schedule in the NASCAR Busch Series.
Competing without sponsorship, Gilliland was against the odds racing alongside NASCAR’s powerhouse teams, but on June 17, 2006 everything changed for the kid from California. In only his seventh career Busch Series start, Gilliland won under the lights at the Kentucky Speedway beating out several of the NEXTEL Cup Series drivers to become the first Busch Series regular to post a win during the season.
The win opened the door to the opportunity Gilliland was hoping for after moving his family just six months earlier – a chance to compete in NASCAR’s NEXTEL Cup Series.
After a mid-season driver change at Robert Yates Racing, Gilliland took the wheel of the M&M’S® #38 Ford beginning at Michigan International Speedway on August 18. Joining a championship-winning organization, Gilliland was teamed up with one of NASCAR’s most successful crew chiefs, Todd Parrott for the final 14 races of the season. The veteran crew chief led his rookie driver to top-15 finishes at Talladega and Atlanta as well as clinching his first NEXTEL Cup Series pole at Talladega qualifying Gilliland for the 2007 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona.
This season Gilliland returns as the driver of the M&M’S Ford for his first full season of competition in the NEXTEL Cup Series. Gilliland is joined by Yates Racing teammate, NASCAR veteran Ricky Rudd, who not only returns to RYR but also joins the Masterfoods family with Snickers® Brand as the primary sponsor of the #88 entry.

[clutch]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

I know there is something from the land of the Kiwi worth while

the list is endless......cheeky beggar

[thunderfoot]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I would love chat but, I just woke up after a hard night with back and leg problens. Back to the hospital kind of things. But had to read this first. Cant move my right arm or leg with out screaming.Just had surgery on the 26th. Back & spine sugery kind of thing. Am not liking this. It hurts pretty bad. Any prayers out there? Lord knows its needed.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I would love chat but, I just woke up after a hard night with back and leg problens. Back to the hospital kind of things. But had to read this first. Cant move my right arm or leg with out screaming.Just had surgery on the 26th. Back & spine sugery kind of thing. Am not liking this. It hurts pretty bad. Any prayers out there? Lord knows its needed.

Ouch. My thoughts are with ya. Must be going through a tough time.

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

LOL!!!!!!!!!!! I would love chat but, I just woke up after a hard night with back and leg problens. Back to the hospital kind of things. But had to read this first. Cant move my right arm or leg with out screaming.Just had surgery on the 26th. Back & spine sugery kind of thing. Am not liking this. It hurts pretty bad. Any prayers out there? Lord knows its needed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you Thunder!! Our well wishes for a speedy recovery.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Lemme tell ya, the kid's growin on me. He got into racing the same way alot of he guys I looked up to did; Work on cars for dadd, use him to get a ride and work your way on up. It certainly doesn't hurt that he drives for the blue oval and RYR.

[thunderfoot]

Thanks guy's, I have a real good looking nurse here. Very pleasent to look at and drool over when she's not around. Thats almost a cure fur whats ailing me. I've been in this place a few times this year, so they all know I'm a dirty old man with a heart of gold. I still think I'm 21 so the nurse's all know who they can joke with. If it was'nt for these I'd never get a date! The wife say's I can look all I want as long as long as I dont touch. Thanks for the well wish's. I'd even accept a cave wish. Me no picky. Does my heart good to hear from ya'll like that.

[LSC9901]

Hang in there Thunder. Hopefully it'll only get better.

TY I gotta give it to you. I'm thinking that you made a good call with this youngin'. He may be showing Ricky a thing or two. Nothing I like more than watching the new kids tear to the top.

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Hang in there Thunder. Hopefully it'll only get better.

TY I gotta give it to you. I'm thinking that you made a good call with this youngin'. He may be showing Ricky a thing or two. Nothing I like more than watching the new kids tear to the top.

Hang in there Thunder, you still got our thoughts and prayers.

LSC, I didn't make the call , if I did, he would have taken a spot there earlier than it did happen, I just stood by my team!! But hes definately got my KUDOS and shout outs!! Robert and Doug have alot of experience in seeing potential. Robert took Daveys advice and started RYR and it snowballed from there. He took on Ernie Irvan, good choice, although I didn't much care for him, but that might have had something to do with I just lost my driver. He took Ricky Rudd and helped him along the way. He took Kenny Irwin, and unfortunately God took him to early. He took D.J. and made him a Winston Cup Champion.
Ricky said that he is learning from Gilliland, that he knows what he is talking about and has an understanding for the feel of a car and what it is doing. That is a battle facing some ''younger'' drivers that don't know or can't communicate the feel of the car or what it is doing. That is a big factor in helping Gilliland succeed quicker than some others.