Posted on Fri, Aug. 18, 2006
Gilliland opts for seat time with Yates team instead of rookie race in '07
By JIM UTTER The Charlotte Observer
BROOKLYN, Mich. – David Gilliland is wasting little time in his new job as a Nextel Cup Series driver for Robert Yates Racing.
Gilliland's hiring to drive Yates' No. 38 Ford, replacing Elliott Sadler, was formally announced Friday, but the 30-year-old's future had been known for some time.
Since Gilliland has just one Cup start to his credit and 10 Busch Series starts, he and Yates have decided to forgo his rookie status for next season and run as many races as possible this year.
Right now he is cleared by NASCAR to run every race but Talladega, and that could change as NASCAR officials evaluate his performance over the next few weeks.
"We feel like if we run some races now and get some experience on some of these tracks that I haven't been to ..." said Gilliland, a native of Riverside, Calif. "We feel like if we run the rest of the races this year, we will have gone to all of the tracks except for one or two.
"I feel that's more important to be successful for next year."
Gilliland broke into the NASCAR spotlight when he won a Busch race earlier this season at Kentucky in just his seventh series start while driving for the part-time team Clay Andrews Racing, which has since closed its doors.
Todd Parrott, who recently left Petty Enterprises to return to Yates, will serve as Gilliland's crew chief, beginning this weekend.
"The deal keeps getting better for me. He's a championship crew chief and with all his experience, I'm hoping that it'll help cut down my learning curve a little bit and help us get where we need to be," Gilliland said.
Said team owner Doug Yates of Gilliland: "When a driver can get in average equipment and make it run better than average, you've got a good driver right there. "After the Kentucky race when he won, I called up my dad (Robert Yates) up and said, 'We jut got our new driver.'"
08-18-2006, 12:39 PM
Gilliland full time for Yates 
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