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Kenny Wallace Starts Hot In '98

10 February 1998

Kenny Wallace

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., - Kenny Wallace scored his best finish in a NASCAR Winston Cup car by placing second in Sunday's Bud Shootout. It was Wallace's first appearance in the specially designed race for last year's pole winners. The Square D Ford driver finished behind older brother and race winner Rusty Wallace.

"The car handled awesome," said Wallace. "I've always been slipping and sliding and hitting the wall here as I could never seem to get my car under control, but this time I just had a great car."

Sunday's running of the Daytona 500 will mark Wallace's fourth Daytona 500 appearance. The 34-year-old will use his Bud Shootout success to better himself and his car in preparation for the season-opening event.

"The Daytona 500 is the biggest race we have. It's our version of the Indy 500," said Wallace. "When you see the fans in the grandstands and you realize that you're actually here in Daytona again, it's a great feeling.

"We had a great run in the shootout and that really got the adrenaline flowing in both myself and the crew. We've got some work to do before the twin 125s so we'll use what we learned in the shootout to make ourselves better."

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