Reigning NASCAR Grand Nation Division, West Series Rookie of the Year, David Gilliland will make his debut in the NASCAR Busch Series at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, April 22. With sponsorship help from Luke’s Transmission and RaceCarCeilingFans.com, Gilliland will pilot the #88 MRG Motorsports Chevrolet, built by Hendricks Motorsports in North Carolina. “I am really excited about this new venture,” says Gilliland, who qualified Robby Gordon’s Busch car in the Number 8 spot last year at Homestead, Florida. “We are definitely looking to move up next season and this is just the first step in being able to accomplish our goal. Our plan is to contest up to five events this season, plus run the entire NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series.(3-9-2005)
UPDATE: Planning to mount a charge to the front, not once but twice, David Gilliland and MRG Motorsports head for Phoenix International Raceway and the running of the Casino Arizona 150 and the Bashas’ Supermarket 200, April 21 and 22. “I am really excited about this weekend,” says Gilliland, who not only hopes to increase his point lead in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series, but intends to make his debut in the Busch Series. We’ve got a great car for the West Series and a great car for the Busch race, so I think we will be good to go. While this will be the first time that Gilliland will try to race in the Busch Series, it will not be his first foray into the series. In 2004 he qualified Robby Gordon’s car for him at Homestead, Fla., putting it in 8th place on the Grid. “We will be running our #88 RacecarCeilingFans.com Chevy in the West Series,” continues Gilliland and our number for the Busch Series will be #54, just like the Classic TV hit of the 60’s, “Car 54 Where Are You”. If we can be as big a hit as that show was, we will be in fine shape.” After two Rounds, Gilliland holds a 25 point lead in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series and hopes to pad that even further this coming weekend.(PR)(4-20-2005)
