Just days before Sprint Cup Series teams were set to hit Daytona International Speedway for preseason testing a late addition to the list raised a few eyebrows.
Steven Wallace is set to make his Cup debut in the biggest race of the season, the 53rd running of the Daytona 500. Wallace will be the third car under the Penske Racing banner.
“We came down here yesterday and unloaded,” said Wallace on Friday.
“We, obviously, weren’t as quick as we wanted to be. This was kind of a last-minute deal put together. We bought a car from Richard Childress that was a Chevrolet, a 2008 car that they ran. It hasn’t been run since. So put a Toyota nose and tail on it, put motor rounds in it, and came down here within about a week. So we have a lot of fine tuning to do on the car to find some speed, but we’re coming back with a different car that should be a little faster, and we’re excited about that.”
Wallace will be locked into the event thanks to the owner points coming with the No. 77 he’ll be driving. Last season Sam Hornish Jr. drove the car but team owner Roger Penske decided to make a change after struggles both on the track and sponsorship became an issue. Hornish will be running a few Nationwide Series race this upcoming season.
As for Wallace, he too will be back in the NNS. He’ll remain a full-time driver for his father, whom helped make this deal with Penske happen. Wallace finish 10th in points last season and is still searching for his first career win.
While the Daytona 500 is marked on the calendar, it will be the only Cup race in his immediate future. The 23-year-old knows he has a tall order in front of him.
“Well, no real Cup car experience,” he said.
“Ran some ARCA cars back in the day when there was no COT stuff. But this track’s really a cool track. It’s really, really smooth out there. It’s just like Talladega minus just a couple little bumps down there in three and four, but nothing to worry about.
With the new pavement and getting the opportunity to not only make his first Cup start, but also in the Daytona 500, Wallace knows he’s a lucky individual. During his availability with the media he kept using the word excited.
When the green flag flies for the race, Wallace believes that he’ll have a great chance to hang with the best in the business. The new pavement has many saying that the competition will be on an even playing field in what could be the most competitive and wildest Daytona 500 in recent memory.
It means, according to Wallace, that it should help rookies.
“I definitely think the new track will be to an advantage for guys like myself that don’t have a lot of Cup experience and whatnot,” he expressed.
“This track before was really, really rough, really slippery. Your car had to handle really, really well. I think with a rookie guy like me in the Cup Series, and a few other guys, this will benefit us because you don’t have to worry about handling and a lot of stuff. You’ve just got to have a really fast car and don’t make stupid decisions. If you can do all of that, you’ll be there at the end. I feel like we can do that.”
Upon hearing that Wallace was going to be entered in the race, reaction was mixed among those in the NASCAR world. From the unkind in terms of his driving talent because of his history of tearing up racecars, to calling him a wildcard, the expectations of his debut aren’t great.
For Wallace, he isn’t setting himself up for greatness either. Entering Speedweeks in early February will him with his own list of goals.
“Well, I think that’s a really big step for me,” he said.
“This is the Daytona 500. I’m a rookie at this. This is my first race. I’m not coming down here to win the race. I’m coming down here to have a strong finish, run good, get some respect, don’t crash the car, and finish the race. If we can do that, I feel like we’ll have a shot at it.
A rookie has never won the Great American Race but a few have seen success. In 2004, Scott Wimmer finished third driving for Bill Davis Racing. Wallace could become the first driver to ever accomplish the feat if he pulls off the upset. He would also be the first Wallace to win the Daytona 500.
“I’ve seen a lot wilder stuff happen down here. There’s been a couple of guys that have won this race that’s kind of been a little weird. But my dad’s never won here. He won the Bud Shootout. I’ve never won here. We’ve always run well here. We’ve had a couple top 10s and good strong runs.
“But most importantly, this Daytona 500 is a really big deal for me and my family. Of course, this is I believe of the four Wallaces, I think it’s the longest or most Daytona 500’s out of any family or something like that. I’m just down here to get some respect and run good.”
