NASCAR WCUP Kenny Wallace Prepares for Next Charlotte Show
24 May 1999
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - While Saturday night's running of The Winston Open at the race track formerly known as Charlotte Motor Speedway did not have the impact of a typical points-paying NASCAR Winston Cup Series race, it proved fruitful for the Square D Racing Team nonetheless.Kenny Wallace drove his Square D Chevrolet from 20th in the field to finish ninth upon the conclusion of the 50-lap shootout. It was a productive run that left Wallace eagerly anticipating the May 30 Coca-Cola 600.
"We've got a really good race car," said Wallace. "We finished ninth, but we should've been about a fifth or sixth place race car. But I'm really happy. That's about as best as my car has ever handled here at Charlotte.
"We'll take our notes from the Open and use 'em for the 600. We'll work on making the front end cut just a little bit more, and we should be ready for a solid run in the 600."
After finishing ninth in The Winston Open at Charlotte, Square D Chevrolet driver Kenny Wallace commented, "That's about as best as my car has ever handled here." The car that handles so well for Wallace around Charlotte's 1.5-mile oval has
an interesting, albeit short, history.
Chassis No. 9819 first saw action in the March 7 Las Vegas 400. Unfortunately, the car became the action when it was involved in a hard crash with Kenny Irwin on lap 132.
Under the direction of Jimmy Elledge, crew chief for the Square D Racing Team, crew members rebuilt the car for the May 2 California 500. In doing so, they replaced the front clip, the rear clip, the right side frame rail and two of the door bars. While they were at it, they hung a brand new Monte Carlo body over the chassis.
After California, the team brought chassis No. 9819, along with two other cars, to Charlotte for testing.
"It was the best of our three cars," said Elledge in reference to chassis No. 9819. "It showed during The Winston Open and that's why we're bringing it back for the 600.
"During that test, we never really put an emphasis on qualifying. We worked more on making long runs. It's a good handling race car that's stable and turns really well. It's something Kenny will be able to drive for 400 laps."
Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.