NASCAR Trucks: Mike Wallace Racing Review/Preview
20 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
CHARLOTTE, N.C., -- Mike Wallace may have finished second to Bobby Hamilton in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series NAPA 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. But when a NASCAR Winston Cup regular wins, second is just as good as a win.
"If we can't win a race we want to be up front," Wallace said. "The only thing we didn't win was the winner's money. Consistency wins championships, and that's what we're keeping in mind."
Wallace started the No. 2 Team ASE Ford from the pole at the .526-mile speedway, his second Bud Pole in 2000. He battled for the lead throughout the 250-lap event and led 31 laps, but the Hamilton machine was hooked up.
"We just got beat by a little bit better truck," Wallace said. "Bobby Hamilton did a great jobIt looks like they got that thing figured out. We were point racing, and at the same time, trying to win. We leave Martinsville with an increased point lead and that's really big for us."
After a week off, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series makes it first visit this season to a road course. Portland (Ore.) Raceway is the site of the Oregon 225K, and for Mike Wallace and the No. 2 Team ASE/Ultra Motorsports Ford, this is just another step toward the Truck Series Championship.
"Last year we started sixth but we had a shifter problem," Wallace said. "I wound up having to hold it in gear for most of the race, but we still finished 11th. At Watkins Glen (International, road course), we finished second with the same truck we're taking this weekend, so we're looking forward to going to Portland."
This is only the second time that the Truck Series will visit the 1.95-mile road course, and Wallace welcomes the challenge road courses bring. But with the weather patterns lately, Wallace does have one concern about traveling to the Northwest.
"My only concern is the rain," Wallace said. "NASCAR has said we will race rain or shine. So, the truck is decked out with windshield wipers, brake light, defrost and rain tires. I'm not excited about that, but I think NASCAR would like to see it happen. We can take comfort knowing that everyone else is in the same boat that we are."
Wallace and the Ultra Bad Boys are riding a lot of momentum, which they are counting on to propel them further into the point lead.
"We're confident we can come out of Portland with a top-five," Wallace said. "There will be some road course racers there this weekend (Boris Said and Ron Fellows), but we need to concentrate on the guys we see week in and week out. We're concentrating on our championship goal and that's what we race for each week."
With Wallace's second-place finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, he increased his point lead to 59 points over Andy Houston.
Text provided by Michele Greth
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