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NASCAR Trucks: Mike Wallace introduces himself to the competition

15 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- Mike Wallace has made sure his competition know he has the truck to beat in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series each week.

In the season-opening Daytona 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Wallace set the mark as soon as the trucks were unloaded. After leading every practice session and sitting on the outside pole for the event, the St. Louis native went on to dominate the race.

He followed that performance with a second-place finish at the Florida Dodge Dealers 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We didn't qualify quite as well as we wanted to, and in the race we had only a fourth or fifth-place truck," Wallace said. "We got a break late in the race and wound up second. Sometimes you need a little luck, and we got it right when we needed it."

After a two-week break, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is ready to head west for a rumble in the desert at Phoenix International Raceway.

Still sky high from his win at Daytona and the second-place finish at Homestead, Wallace is set to tackle whatever Phoenix throws at him.

"Phoenix is a nice track, but it's difficult because it's flat and hard to hang onto," said the driver of the No. 2 Team ASE Ford. "We've never had any really great finishes there but I enjoy racing at Phoenix. We tested at Greenville-Pickens (S.C., Speedway) last week (March 9) to get ready for Phoenix and the upcoming race at Martinsville (Va., Speedway). This is a new truck and we feel we should be good. Hopefully, we can take the momentum we have right now and continue with it."

Text provided by Michele Greth

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