Player Management International Media Release
Dover, DE (September 20, 2008) – A track where Mike Wallace has traditionally experienced success, Dover provided the opportunity for Wallace and the GEICO Racing team to visit Victory Lane. After all, the spring race in Dover found Wallace in the 8th position when the checkered flag was displayed, so when the #7 GEICO Camry was unloaded on Friday hope was abound.
Practice would find Wallace and the GEICO Racing team being conservative, as the #7 GEICO Camry would sit 16th and 21st in the respective sessions. When practice closed, the GEICO Racing team was poised for qualifying.
The Monster Mile is a challenge for anyone, however Wallace toured the 1-mile facility with relative ease and found himself 19th on the starting grid when qualifying concluded. Wallace wheeled around the high-banked oval in 24.008 seconds, at a rate of speed of 149.950 miles per hour.
With GEICO executives atop the GEICO Racing pit box, Wallace looked to impress when the green flag waved over the field under perfect skies in Dover. The opening laps would find Wallace sliding back a few spots, however it would not last for long, as Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry would soon launch an assault on the field.
By lap 51, Wallace had passed nephew Steven Wallace and moved into the Top 15. Appearing sporty on the race track, the #7 GEICO Camry would consistently record lap times faster than the leader as Wallace strategically maneuvered through traffic to get to the front of the field. A caution flag on Lap 70 found Wallace and the Gecko taking their first trip down pit road for four tires and Sunoco racing fuel. The Germain Racing pit crew would turn out a good stop and have Wallace restarting the race in the 13th position on Lap 76.
By Lap 140, Wallace had moved into the 11th position, flirting with the Top 10 before a caution flag was displayed and the #7 GEICO Camry once again visited pit road. The Germain Racing pit crew would once again do their part and have Wallace in the 10th position when the race restarted on Lap 147. Wallace would battle hard with David Stremme, Jamie McMurray, David Ragan and Clint Bowyer as the race began to wind down.
Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry were running 13th with two laps remaining in the race when Landon Cassill and Steven Wallace collided and caused the caution flag to once again be displayed in Dover. This caution would bring about a green, white, checker finish, and give Wallace the opportunity to score a Top 10 for the GEICO Racing team.
During the restart on Lap 205, Wallace was in the 13th position and would race hard on the final two laps at the Monster Mile to pick up one spot and record a 12th place finish. While a Top 10 eluded him, the solid finish allowed Wallace to further solidify his spot in the 8th position in the point standings.
“We had a great effort this weekend and we had a fast race car, which made it fun to race all day,” Wallace said. “It was nice to have the GEICO executives make the 90-mile trip to Dover from DC and spend the day with us. We had a really competitive car and the GEICO pit crew did a good job of getting me back out on the track quickly. We’re looking forward to getting to Kansas and trying to get a win for GEICO, Sport Clips and Smith Transport.”
This week, the Germain Racing team heads to Kansas City, Kansas, where Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team will attempt to score their first win of the season.
Mike Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry will hit the track at Kansas Speedway for their opening practice session on Friday, September 26th, at 2:30 PM (ET), with the final practice session being held at 5:45 PM (ET). Qualifying will be held on Saturday morning at 10:35 AM (ET).
The Kansas Lottery 300 is on Saturday, September 27th, and it will be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 3:00 PM (ET), while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.
Visit the innovative, interactive GEICO Racing web site at: www.geicogarage.com.
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.