Furniture Row Racing Debuts in NEXTEL at Dover With Kenny Wallace Behind the Wheel

DENVER, Sept. 21 -- Furniture Row Racing will debut their #78 Chevy Monte Carlo at the Dover International Speedway on September 25. The newly formed stand-alone NEXTEL team has signed veteran driver Kenny Wallace to a five-race deal.

Wallace, a nine-time NASCAR Busch Series winner, is excited about the opportunity to join the Furniture Row effort headed up by team manager Joe Garone.

"We'll be testing before every race to make sure the car is competitive, so we do this Cup deal right," explains Wallace.

Kenny Wallace has a reputation as one of the circuit's most entertaining personalities. He was named Busch Series most popular driver in 1991 and 1994. With Wallace's talent and persona, Furniture Row Racing is enthusiastic about the partnership opportunity.

Garone explains what the addition of Wallace will bring to the program. "The intention is to compete at the highest level in our sport and this leads us to the NEXTEL CUP SERIES. In building a strong foundation for competitive participation, Kenny Wallace brings with him the talent and experience that any team could use to advance or build a program."

The youngest of the three racing Wallace brothers, Kenny was destined to follow his family's footsteps. His father, Russ, was one of the Midwest's most successful short track drivers, and his two older brothers, Rusty and Mike, are also prolific NASCAR racers.

Wallace started his driving career in 1982, and won the Street Stock State Championship in Illinois in his first stint ever behind the wheel of a racecar. He honed his skills working on older brother Rusty's racecars for a few years, but returned to driving by competing in the American Speed Association in 1986. He immediately found success by garnering Rookie of the Year honors. He landed his first Busch Series ride in '89 when he was also named Rookie of the Year. Through hard work and perseverance, Kenny Wallace has worked his way up the ranks. He's developed an impressive resume by consistently securing rides in the NASCAR Busch and NEXTEL Series.

Based in Denver, Colorado Furniture Row Racing is the NEXTEL Series newest team, formed and sponsored by Furniture Row(R) Companies. The company also sponsors the #78 car in the Busch Series driven by Jerry Robertson.

Furniture Row(R) Companies is the fourth largest family-owned specialty home furnishings and bedding retailer. The company is comprised of five specialty store brands including: Oak Express, Sofa Mart, Bedroom Expressions, Denver Mattress Company and Furniture Row Outlets. Furniture Row operates more than 250 stores nationwide; the company is among the "Top 15" national furniture retailers.