Race 2 Win: Busch Series Race Notes

NASCAR Busch Series

Gateway 250 - Kenny Wallace Notes

Kenny Wallace
No. 2 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS
Event Preview Fact Sheet

Event/Date: NASCAR Busch Series 250 – July 21, 2007
Venue: Gateway International Raceway – Madison, Ill.

NOTES:

This Week’s Jimmy John’s Chevrolet at Gateway International Raceway … Kenny Wallace will pilot Chassis No. 047 from the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) NASCAR Busch Series stable. This is the same car Clint Bowyer raced to a second-place finish at Nashville earlier this season (St. 2). Additionally, Bowyer raced this chassis last March at Las Vegas (St. 8, Fn. 9), in April at Phoenix (St. 16, Fn. 21), in May at Richmond (St. 2, Fn. 7), in June at Milwaukee (St. 4, Fn. 18), in July at New Hampshire (St. 5, Fn. 2), in October at Memphis (St. 19, Fn. 2) and again at Phoenix in November (St. 17, Fn. 14). Since then, this Jimmy John’s Chevrolet has received all the required 2007 updates including a new body.

Stat Facts … In eight starts at Gateway, the St. Louis, Mo., native boasts four top-10 finishes. Additionally, in his only NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) start this season, Wallace started 27th and finished 26th at California Speedway in February.

RCR at STL … RCR has won two Busch Series races at Gateway International Raceway – both with Kevin Harvick behind the wheel (2000 and 2001). In 14 NBS starts at the 1.25-mile egg-shaped oval, RCR has earned five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. RCR cars have also led 305 laps outside the Gateway City.

RCR Busch Brigade … In 20 Busch Series races this season, RCR has claimed seven victories, the most recent coming last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway with Kevin Harvick (Jeff Burton – 2, Clint Bowyer- 2 and Kevin Harvick –3). Additionally, all three RCR Busch teams (No. 2, No. 21 and No. 29) have a total of 25 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes while leading for a total of 1,002 laps.

Down and Dirty … Though final practice Friday at Gateway ends at 9:00 p.m., Wallace plans to run his dirt modified car later that evening at Tri-City Speedway in nearby Pontoon Beach, Ill.

Up to Speed … The NASCAR Busch Series 250 from Gateway International Raceway will take the green flag Saturday, July 21 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. The race will be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 8 p.m. EDT and broadcast from coast-to-coast on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 21st stop on the 35-race Busch Series tour will be televised live on ESPN2 the same day at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

KENNY WALLACE QUOTES:
Your only other NBS start this year was in February at California Speedway under unusual circumstances, correct?
“That race in Fontana was a surprise. David Gilliland got sick and someone from the team called me at the last minute. It was really funny … they were lining the car up to qualify and I just jumped in it, qualified it, and ran the race. I think I was at the motel when they called me. The car was in tech inspection, getting ready to qualify. My very first lap on the track in the car was qualifying. That was fun.”

In eight starts at Gateway, you have four top-10 starts and the same number of top-10 finishes. What does it take to be successful there?
“What it takes to be successful at Gateway is a good race team and I have a very successful race team with the RCR bunch. I’ve been there before when I thought I had a shot to win and it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. Gateway has long straightaways so you have to have nice horsepower. It’s a lot like Phoenix. Turns one and two are tight and turns three and four are wide-sweeping. If you handle good, that’s a bonus but you have to still have the horsepower. Gateway is a track that really takes both to be successful.”