NASCAR WCUP: Kenny Wallace believes 'Intimidation' is needed to win at Richmond
7 September 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--When it comes to winning a NASCAR Winston Cup Series event, forget about horsepower. Who needs it? As for pit strategy, throw it out the window because it is useless. Chassis or aerodynamics? They are overrated. Intimidation is all you need to take the checkered flag in Winston Cup racing, and that is the game plan for Kenny Wallace, driver of the Square D/Cooper Lighting Chevrolet, in Saturday night's Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Wallace and the Square D Racing Team are bringing back the lightning bolt paint scheme on the Square D/ Cooper Lighting Chevy this weekend. Instead of the traditional yellow, red and blue colors, Wallace's machine will be painted jet black with brilliant electrical lightning bolts cutting across the sheet metal.
"We received a great response when we first ran the lightning bolt race car several years ago," said Wallace. "It was really popular, and it drew a lot of attention. Even this season people have asked me about the lightning bolt paint scheme. Well, by popular demand we're bringing it back."
The paint scheme was first used by Square D on the No. 81 FILMAR Racing Ford Taurus, which Wallace drove in the 1998 Bud Shootout. In that race, Wallace pushed older brother Rusty across the finish line for a one-two family finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. As Wallace returns to Richmond, one of his favorite race tracks, he is hoping the lighting bolt race car will bring the Square D/Cooper Lighting pilot another successful outing.
"The reason we picked Richmond was because we thought the paint scheme worked best at night," said Wallace. "We also wanted to use a track where we had a history of success. You can't have the lightning bolt race car finish in the back of the pack. The race car looks too good not to be up front where it belongs."
"I'm looking forward to seeing the lightning bolt Chevy," added crew chief Jimmy Elledge. "I like seeing our race car in black with the lighting all over it. I'm not going to lie to you; it intimidates other drivers. They see that in their rear view mirror and they just pull over (laughs). It's neat because it's something different. Sometimes you get tired of doing the same old thing. I wish we could do more of it."
Text provided by Chris Hunt
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