10 Questions: D. Gilliland

1. What's the best advice you ever received and who was it from?

Gilliland: I forget who told me, but it's, "You must first finish to finish first." I think it was Jerry Dodd, one of the first guys I ever drove for on the dirt, when we got going. That's a fact.

2. What was your first car?

Gilliland: My first car was an '87 Ford Taurus four-door. Not very sporty, but my dad got it for me. We had an automotive repair business and my dad bought it from a customer. Not exactly what I was looking for but it got me from Point A to Point B.

David Gilliland:
Red

3. What is at the top of your "things to accomplish" list?

Gilliland: To try and win a Nextel Cup race. It's definitely tougher than it looks, but we feel like we're getting better and better each week, and running more competitively. I've still got a lot to learn. A lot of people forget this is my first full-time year in the series so I'm still definitely learning a lot but we've been a lot more competitive lately. So I'm proud of that.

4. What's your favorite movie?

Gilliland: My favorite movie is Six Pack, with Kenny Rogers.

5. Where's your favorite scenic road?

Gilliland: Probably one of the nicest drives I've ever had is on the way to Bristol. Highway 421 through Boone and all through the mountains up there. There's a lake up there. It's nice and peaceful.

6. What's your favorite pizza topping?

Gilliland: Pepperoni.

7. Who has had the most impact on your life?

Gilliland: Probably my dad. Racing is probably one of the biggest things in my life and, without him, I don't know if I would be doing it. Just because I grew up around it and he's been very influential.

8. What's the last song you added to your personal music player?

Gilliland: Rockstar by Nickelback.

9. What's your favorite place to eat and what do you normally order?

Gilliland: Sullivan's Steakhouse in Charlotte and I order the surf and turf -- steak and lobster.

10. What's your favorite sport, outside of racing?

Gilliland: Probably golf. I'm not too much into baseball or football or things like that. With racing, at the level we're at, it's hard to do much else. When I'm not racing, my son races go-karts and quarter-midgets, so racing's definitely top on the list.