[thunderfoot]

Ok ya'll here is the next rising star. I dont say this as being a biased opinion because he is a friend. I have known him since he was 12 years old. He knew the direction he wanted to go and got there through hard work. I started working on his fathers cars about 1988 and was impressed by the work ethic of his father and himself. The apple does not fall far from the tree. Here is champion material. I say he will win the cup within the next 2 years. I'd bet on it. Any takers out there? A friendly wager it would be. He's a hard charger. But the best quality he has is he doesnt lose his head. He races clean. Now I'm not saying he wouldnt get a little pissed off if dumped on purpose. We all can get caught up in the moment of a heated battle and say or do something that will be regretted later. But he does think before acting. That is something we all could do. Some more than others. If you remember the wheel barrow load of B.S. that was stated by Bush when he won the cup, of how a champion should act as an ambassador of our great sport and then eating those words at Pheonix. I think Jack Roush did right thing in benching the little jerk. It's been mostly down hill for him from there. Oooh to bad. But just watch. David will be next great one.
Now on to the lighter side of things. Do you all remember Wendall Scott? A very good guy, running on a wing and a prayer. I can remember watching him run at Waynesboro Va. A hard charger and a good man.I recall a joke from many years ago about him.
When the top runners would come in for a pit stop, they would get a tank of 76 race gas, fresh goodyear tires, and a drink for the driver.
When Wendall would come in he would get a tank of pump gas spiked with good moonshine, used rubber and a slice of watermelon.

Well guy's this old broken body has to go lie down. The last round of back surgery has really taken its toll. Growing old sucks!

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

I say he will win the cup within the next 2 years.

Wow, great story and he is a good driver........but I'd have to take ya up on that bet.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

I say he will win the cup within the next 2 years. I'd bet on it. Any takers out there?

I'll take a piece of that action. There are several young guns out there with good rides that haven't done it yet and may not for some time to come. Then there is always the unknown .... who is going to be out of the running due to bad luck. That alone can be a boost for any driver out there. David might be that driver.

[DEI]

He is in good equipment, he raced well enough at speedweeks i think he is a cup driver for sure.

[RUSTYFAN2]

I agree that he will win in the next 2 years. Possibly this year. The way he ran at Daytona...they better watch out on the super speedways. He is supposed to be a pretty good road racer also.

[Quality88]

I'll take that bet. I was quite impressed with the improvement he showed over the last few races last year.... and the start he has had this last year.

[thunderfoot]

He is very good on a road course. Got a lot of seat time at Sears Point. Er, 'scuse me, Infineon Raceway. But it will still be Sears Point at the heart. Like Charlotte will always be Charlotte, not Lowes. Isnt anything sacred any more?

[thunderfoot]

Here is a good story of David and his father Butch. When the Winston West tour would make the Northwest swing, the whole family, Grandma included, (and what a most exellent cook she be) would hop in the motorhome and take a few days to get up here. They stopped at the Rogue River in Oregon. Time to do some fishing. We up here in the Northwest get a real kicken fish called a Steelhead. Its a trout that went to sea, comes back to reproduce and go's back out to sea again. A very fiesty fish they be. David hooked into one and fought that fish for close to 30 minutes. A grin so wide on that kids face and he wouldnt let Dad forget who caught it. If ya'll never seen a steelhead fight, you are for sure, really loseing out. That was the proudest kid I ever seen. Some of the little things in life tend to stick in the mind as the most fun.

[Mike24]

Awesome story thunderfoot.

How much money you want to put on the table there thunderfoot? I will take that bet up immediately!

[thunderfoot]

Must think on this grasshoppa!

[Team Yates]

I know that I am really impressed with him!! I'm sure glad that Robert gave him an opportunity to show us what he can do!! There's something about him that makes me think of Davey - maybe it's the fact that he came in strong, mix in a little - jumping in and working on the car with the guys in the shop, and an unassuming personality who seems to be a REAL down to earth guy. I'm glad that he has a team mate in Rudd, it seems like they can communicate well with each other. Rudd won't pull any punches with him, he will help him out with little tricks of the trade to fine tune the huge potential that is beginning to be unleashed.
What a great thread you started Thunder, that is totally awesome that you used to work for his dad and have known him since he was a little boy. I'm sure that you have plenty of stories to tell us, I'm ready for another one!!

Go Gilliland Go!!

[thunderfoot]

If you think he's cool, his grandma has the wise'st skillet on the circuit. She has fed more than her share many times over. I never walked away from her table hungry. I used to have an album full of pictures that was really kicke'n and great for looking at on those long winter days. I had a fire a few years back and lost a bunch of stuff. But whats in the head and heart never forgets. The fishing trips after a day of practice is a real memory charm. One year the promoter of Evergreen Speedway had all of us on an old steam boat for an evening cruise. Talk about a party. Things like that should be illegal, or at least the night before a race. But any way, we went past the Evergreen Point floating bridge. David was asking "This bridge floats?" "You kidding me, right?" You could see the gears turning trying to figure out how this works. Or is it a bunch of B.S. he's throwing? So I started trying to tell the kid how displacement works. You see I am an old sailor from Uncle Sam's canoe club. Even though I am an old airdale, I still know how boats work. So he finally figured I do know whats up. I always couldnt wait until the next season, when the tour would come back through the Northwest. I love the area where I live but I hate the state. Nascar has suspended the Northwest tour because of the lack of interest and not a very big draw of fans or cars. Of course it didnt help that the announcers from ESPN who were calling the truck race at Monroe, stated about how poor the track condition was and the fact the promotor is the one to blame. You see, the great U.S. buck was a factor here. They would never put out the money to keep the track in at least good condition. Because its on county property. I went to the track one year after I had left the racing scene, due to a devastating divorce and a then falling into the realm of addiction. And was pretty pissed off that the promoter was charging a premium price for tickets. They have never been able to fill the stands again. I at least made sure my voice was heard that the idiots running the track were "Charging a premium price to see a race in a third class facility". That was the last time I went to any race track for many years. Meanwhile my little racer sat at home in mothballs. A year and a half ago I went back to Monroe just to see David run say "Howdy" to Butch. David was amazed that I had walked away from racing. He knew how important it was to me. But I had to get my life in order, and racing was'nt in it. Well I now have a grip on life, thanks to watching David come up through the ranks by very hard work and ethics that is worthy of a champion. I am trying to get a new car together to just have fun. I'm too old to race to prove a point or impress any one. I have a small shop, know where I am going and am out to only have fun and help kids. Due to an industrial accident, I have a very messed up back. Just had the latest round of surgery and am also working on a dregree of a radiology technition. I got a deal with God. He helps me get through school and I will go to Childrens Hospital to do his work there. I knew there was a reason to live through all that crap. It just took a long time to see it. But I talk up David at school every chance I get. The kids at school call me "Grandpa" or just "Hey old man". They want to hear war stories or memories of "being in the running of the elite". Watching Davids success has rekindled an old fire, the kind that now has a purpose. 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.

[thunderfoot]

OK guy's, I dont bet with money. Not a gambler but I will do this. If David dont win the Cup in the next 2 seasons, I will ship some Northwest smoked salmon to those taking me up on this. Whats your state got to offer?

[clutch]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

OK guy's, I dont bet with money. Not a gambler but I will do this. If David dont win the Cup in the next 2 seasons, I will ship some Northwest smoked salmon to those taking me up on this. Whats your state got to offer?

Aint from a state ....but have fish.............sorry thunderfoot was trying to add an image nbut I cant figure out how

[LSC9901]

The nations finest maple syrup.