The Gecko Ready for Daytona Test; Wallace Dateless for the Daytona 500

Player Management International Media Release

Mooresville, NC (January 14, 2008) – Just two months removed from recording a career best points finish, Mike Wallace and the Gecko are gearing up to head to Daytona for the first test of the 2008 NASCAR season.  Entering their 8th season of involvement in the nation’s #2 racing series, GEICO is looking forward to improving upon their 2007 11th place finish in the point standings.  
 
A new look will accompany Wallace, as he moved the GEICO sponsorship to Germain Racing in the off-season, thus switching from Chevrolet to Toyota. While the team has changed, the driver, number and paint-scheme will stay the same.  
 
Sport Clips and Smith Transport have also followed the middle brother of the Wallace racing family to Germain Racing for the 2008 campaign. Sport Clips is entering their sixth season of involvement in NASCAR and celebrated with GEICO on July 2, 2004, when Wallace handed both of them their first NASCAR Busch Series wins after passing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jason Leffler coming out of Turn 4 to win the Winn-Dixie 250.  
 
While Wallace will test the #7 GEICO Camry beginning on January 18th to get ready to chase his fourth win at Daytona on February 16th, he still remains without a ride for the Daytona 500.  His initial plans to attempt to qualify for the 50th running of The Great American Race for Morgan-McClure Motorsports fell apart last week when they closed their doors after 25 years of NASCAR competition.  Consequently, Wallace is without a date for the biggest race of the year.  
 
Lest we forget that Daytona is one of Wallace’s favorite tracks and he is one of the best in the business when it comes to restrictor-plate racing. In fact, a year ago in the Daytona 500, Wallace recorded a 4th place finish while driving the #09 Miccosukee Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing.  
 
“We are all very excited about the 2008 season and the switch to Germain Racing and Toyota,” Wallace said.  “This is a championship team and they are giving us the resources we need to go out and chase the championship.  We’re heading to Daytona this week to spend a couple of days testing and gather as much data as possible and get ramped up for the race on February 16th.  We are going to do the best we can to get a win for GEICO, Sport Clips and Smith Transport.”  
 
In regards to the Daytona 500, Wallace responded, “I mean what can you say, it’s the biggest race of the year.  We all want to be there.  I have multiple Top 5’s in the Daytona 500, including my 4th place finish last year.  The reality is that I want to be there and I want to win that race, but my priority is the #7 GEICO Camry and I’m going to focus on that program and if something for the 500 comes along then great.”
 
One thing is certain, and that is whether or not he gets a ride for the Daytona 500, Wallace will be busy preparing to position the Gecko for a win on February 16th and have GEICO and Sport Clips once again partying together in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.  
 
For more information about the GEICO racing program, please visit: www.geicoracing7.com .
 
For more information about the Sport Clips racing program, please visit: www.SportClips.com