UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Rusty Wallace Notes

WALLACE & MILLER LITE DODGE TEAM CARRY MOMENTUM INTO VEGAS
-Great Test, Newfound Confidence & Special Paint Scheme Accompany Team In Return To LVMS-

LAS VEGAS (March 2, 2004) – Rusty Wallace and his Miller Lite Dodge team enter this weekend’s UAW-Daimler/Chrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway coming off what Wallace labeled a “great test” in January and armed with momentum and newfound confidence. Wallace will also be carrying a special paint scheme on his Dodge during the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series’ annual visit to “the city of lights.”

“A lot of people may have wondered why I was so tickled with our run at Rockingham two weeks ago,” said Wallace, whose best career LVMS finish to date is the third-place finish he had in the tour’s inaugural visit to the 1.5-mile track back in 1998. “I mean after all, it was a seventh-place finish – not the win we’re looking for and not even a top-five. But the bottom line was that we finally showed such potential. We had a solid top-five car and it was a crime that we didn’t get the finish we deserved. We qualified in the top-five (fourth) and ran there all day long until the end.

“I didn’t moan and groan about the problems we had on that last pit stop,” Wallace continued. “It hurt because it cost us the top-five finish. But the fact was my guys were reeling off great pit stops all day long up until that last one. It’s been a long time since our team has performed like that.

“We had such a solid weekend at Rockingham and I haven’t seen that or enjoyed that in a long time. It’s like my team made a statement that, ‘hey, we’re back and we’re gonna be a team you’ll have to deal with week in and week out.’ The guys worked their tails off and we had a great racecar. My hat’s off to Larry Carter, my new crew chief, and all the guys. Larry really took charge during the race and it certainly was a confidence boost all the way around.

“We’re carrying a lot of momentum into Vegas this weekend and our team looks to continue to work together like we’ve been doing since our testing began in January. The morale we have now reminds me a lot of what we had going in the early 90s when we were winning all those races. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

This weekend’s Las Vegas race offers the first true test for NASCAR’s new mandated package of softer tires and smaller rear spoilers. Wallace is confident that his Penske Racing South team is primed for the challenge.

“The (restrictor) plate racing at Daytona and Talladega is a brand of its own and Rockingham’s abrasive surface can’t give you a true reading of the changes,” said Wallace. “So this weekend’s race will be very interesting from that standpoint and we can’t wait to see what happens. Our Vegas test really gave me confidence that we have the total package.

“We had two cars out there – the (PC-) 51 and the (PC-) 53 – and we determined pretty quickly that the 53 car was the faster one. We made about seven 30-lap runs on the first day, concentrating on nothing but the race setup. We switched over to the qualifying package the second day. We worked through some things and finally got our Dodge flying. We tweaked a 31.55 (-second, 171.694 mph) lap out of her in the middle of the afternoon and that was the fastest lap of the day. The fastest lap anybody turned while we were out there was Jeremy Mayfield’s 31.40 (-second, 171.975 mph lap), but he turned that at 10 o’clock in the morning.

“When you look at the fact that there were 34 different Cup teams out there and it was a pretty good test for the softer tires and decreased downforce rules, we have to be excited about the way we stacked up with everybody overall.

“It’ll be back to where you’ll see mostly four-tire stops and that puts a big premium on the work the guys do on pit road,” said Wallace. “Our guys showed so much promise at Rockingham. They’ve been practicing a lot and we’ll get even better and better in that department.”

Wallace’s Miller Lite Dodge will sport a special paint scheme this weekend, celebrating “Great Moments in Miller Racing.” (see sample art at www.trpr.com). The one-time look for Wallace’s car is in support of Miller’s special six commemorative 24-oz. racing-themed cans currently available in convenience stores across the country. Each can features a different milestone in either Wallace’s or Miller Lite NHRA drag racing teammate Larry Dixon’s illustrious careers. Dixon’s Don ‘the Snake’ Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster is carrying a similar color scheme during this weekend’s NHRA stop in Phoenix.

“It’s a really cool looking car and I think all the fans and everybody will love it,” said Wallace. “We’re hoping that it turns out to be our good luck color scheme and we turn heads not only with the new look, but also with a great level of competitiveness.”

Friday’s qualifying session at 3:05 p.m. local time (6:05 EST) allocates all starting positions for Sunday’s starting field. Sunday’s 267-lap, 400-mile race has a 12:00 noon local (3:00 p.m. EST) starting time and features live coverage by FOX-TV and PRN (radio) beginning 30 minutes earlier.