GAFFNEY, S.C. (July 23, 2012) – Mike Wallace and the No. 01 Gerber’s Collision & Glass Chevrolet team had a successful run for their Chicago-based marketing partner at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday.
After posting the 19th and 28th fastest times, respectively, in the two practice sessions on Friday, Wallace and the Newt Moore led team qualified 24th on Saturday morning at the 1.5-mile oval. Their JD Motorsports with Gary Keller teammate, Danny Efland, in the No. 4 TradeBank Chevrolet, qualified 33rd for the 200-lap race. With temperatures almost 15 degrees higher on Saturday than Friday, many teams had different results from their practice times.
But, with the veteran knowledge of Wallace and Moore, the never-give-up No. 01 team was ready for race day. With their local primary marketing partner, Gerber’s Collision & Glass on board for the weekend, the team had even more incentive for a great finish.
Once the initial green flag waved with temps in the mid-90s, the teams started to settle in and see how their cars would handle on the track. Wallace and team didn’t get off to the start they wanted, but thanks to the five cautions during the race, they were able to make great adjustments on pit stops.
Under one of the cautions, the call was made to stop for a topping off of fuel, only, to gain track positions. It worked as another caution followed soon after allowing Wallace and the Gerber’s Collision & Glass team to get a lap back.
From there, they would hover near the Lucky Dog position trying to take advantage of it on later cautions. While that didn’t work to their advantage, the strategy on stops and hard driving by Wallace kept him in the top-20 on the scoring pylon.
Running 19th with 70 laps remaining, Wallace would race his way up three more positions when the checkered flag waved to finish 16th. This also enabled him to move up one position, to 14th, in the Driver’s Standings where he now trails 13th by just five markers.
Danny Efland had a shortened day when he experienced engine problems on lap 47 to end his race early.
This weekend, the NASCAR Nationwide Series will make history when they race at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon.
Mike Wallace Quotes
“We get off to a sort of slow start, then went down two laps because we were so loose on that hot racing surface. When we topped off on that one stop, we picked up spots and got a lap back. I liked how that worked out and it seemed to breathe some life back into the team.
“This team doesn’t quit and it showed at the end when were so good after the last caution. That was the best we were running and we picked up three position to finish where did in 16th place.
“I’d also like to congratulate my son, Matt, who won his third Late Model race of the year at Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Missouri. It’s good to see him doing so well and having fun racing at the track where I got my start.”
