NASCAR BGN: Mike Wallace to Drive Select NASCAR Busch Series Events
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
March 30, 2001
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Mike Wallace is expanding his 2001 race schedule to include the NASCAR Busch Series where he has earned three wins, 12 top-fives and 30 top-10s over the course of his racing career. Beginning with the April 28 Auto Club 300 at California Speedway, Wallace will drive the Biagi Bros. Racing Chevrolets in seven Busch Series events.
"This is a new program we’re excited about doing," said Wallace. "Fred Biagi, who has become a good friend of mine, wants to get more involved in this sport. So, we’re going to run seven competitive races that will hopefully enhance our Winston Cup program and possibly grow into something more in the future."
Wallace, who is competing full-time in the Winston Cup Series for Ultra Motorsports, has known California businessman and race enthusiast Fred Biagi for more than four years through Biagi’s associate sponsorship on his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. Before that relationship, Biagi Bros., a trucking and warehouse company based in Napa, Calif., was a sponsor in the Winston West Series.
"My association with racing began as a fan and grew into an associate sponsorship of the Ultra Motorsports Truck Team for two years," said Biagi. "We wanted to get more involved, so we decided to put something like this together. We’re going to start with a limited Busch Series schedule and hopefully build that into a full-time Busch program followed by a full-time Winston Cup program."
In addition to the event at California Speedway, the Biagi Bros. Racing Team plans to compete in the races at Chicagoland Speedway, Michigan Speedway, Homestead Miami Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and both events at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
"This has been in the works for a few years," continued Wallace. "Fred got involved with our truck team as a sponsor and he wanted to be a direct owner. His business is not retail, so this is more of a passion of his not necessarily an advertising venture. It’s something he wanted to do and hopefully this will be the start of a great team."
The Biagi Bros. Racing Chevrolets will be prepared in a shop located in Mooresville, N.C. with the engines supplied by Gasoline Alley Engines.
"We’re starting a baseline deal with these seven races that are about a month apart so we have ample time to prepare," said Wallace. "It’s not like we have an open check book. We’re just a group of guys, an owner, driver and a few other people, that want to race a little bit more."
Wallace and Biagi are excited about their partnership for these events. The team does not have a sponsor for their limited Busch Series program, but that will not interfere with their plans to run these seven races in any event.
"I’m really looking forward to this program," Wallace continued. "We’re making an asserted effort to have the best parts and pieces available and we’re going to do the deal with or without a sponsor. Although that doesn’t mean we won’t work with a company that has an interest in developing a program."
Biagi Bros. is a nationwide warehousing and transportation services company. The family-owned and operated company has been is business since 1978 and is committed to providing customers with the highest level of service possible. The corporate office is located in Napa, Calif. with satellite operations in Ontario, Calif.; Portland, Ore.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Houston, Tex.; Fort Collins, Col.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Benicia, Calif.
Text provided by Heather Buckelew
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos and racing art, please visit The Racing Image Galleries and The Visions of Speed Art Gallery .