Mike Wallace Records 17th Place Finish in Phoenix; Heading South for the Finale

Player Management International Media Release
Contact: Doug Barnette

Phoenix, AZ (November 10, 2007) – Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team arrived in Phoenix, AZ, hoping to hold onto their 10th position in the point standings.  With just one race remaining after they depart the Valley of the Sun, the Phoenix Racing team looked to run up front and pick up points in the standings. 

Wallace and the #7 GEICO Chevrolet would show promise during the opening practice session at Phoenix International Raceway, as they would sit 20th on the practice sheet when the session concluded.  Unfortunately, during the final practice session, the #7 GEICO Chevrolet would betray the speed it showed during the first session when it ended it up 36th on the final speed charts. 

The #7 GEICO Chevrolet would fare better in qualifying, when Wallace turned a lap of 27.647 seconds at a speed of 130.213 MPH.  The Gecko would find itself starting on the inside of Row 12, just to the inside of Greg Biffle. 

When the Arizona Travel 200 NASCAR Busch Series race went green, Wallace would instantly pick up positions and battle to get to the front of the field.  Before recording a 17th place finish, he would maneuver the #7 GEICO Chevrolet around multiple crashes and survive a race in which several of NASCAR’s best and brightest would find their way to the garage area after early exits. 

As they packed up under the Arizona sunset, Wallace and the #7 GEICO Chevrolet would give up their 10th position in the point standings, as Matt Kenseth would finish 2nd in Phoenix and bump Wallace down to 11th.  Kenseth now holds an eleven point lead over Wallace heading into Homestead, the final race of the season.  Greg Biffle, who is 9th in the point standings, sits just 16 points ahead of Wallace and the Gecko.  Homestead will be nothing less than exciting, as Wallace will battle both Kenseth and Biffle for the opportunity to wrap up his season in the 10th position in the final point standings. 

 “We would’ve liked to finish better in Phoenix, but we will take the 17th and look towards Homestead,” Wallace said.  “We’re getting down to the end here and we need to focus on getting to Homestead and finishing up front and putting ourselves in position to finish in the Top 10.  Our main goal is to go down there and win a race for GEICO, Sport Clips and Smith Transport.” 

This week, Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team head to Homestead, Florida, for the NASCAR Busch Series season finale on Saturday, November 17th, 2007.  

Wallace and the #7 GEICO Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS will hit the track at Homestead-Miami Speedway for their first practice session on Friday, November 16th, at 1:10 PM (ET), with final practice at 6:35 PM (ET).  Qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:05 PM (ET). 

On Saturday, November 17th, the Ford 300 NASCAR Busch Series race will be televised live on ESPN2 with coverage beginning at 4:00 PM (ET) and green flag action coming at 4:30 PM (ET).  Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.   
 
To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.GEICOracing7.com.  

To learn more about the Sport Clips Racing program, please visit: www.SportClips.com.