RWR NEWS AND NOTES: WATKINS GLEN
 

Event Quick Facts

  • Event:     Zippo 200 at The Glen (Round 22 of 35 in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series)
  • Venue:     Watkins Glen International (2.45-Mile Permanent Road Course)
  • Distance:     200.9 Miles / 82 Laps
  • Date / Time:     8 August 2009 / 3:00 PM ET
  • TV / Radio:     ESPN2 (Live at 2:30 PM ET) / MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio
  • No. 66 Driver / Car:     Steve Wallace / No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet Impala SS
  • No. 62 Driver / Car:     Brendan Gaughan / No. 62 USfidelis Chevrolet Impala SS

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Is It Stephen or Stephane?

Despite having grown up with primarily an oval track background, Steve Wallace has surprised many as of late, by emerging as one of the Nationwide Series' preeminent road racers.

Wallace earned top-ten finishes in two of the season's three road course races in 2008, scoring his first career Nationwide Series top-ten at Mexico City's famed Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and following up with his second straight road course top ten--in the rain, following a tail-back start--at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.  Only a late-race fuel issue at Watkins Glen kept Wallace from completing his 2008 road course trifecta.

Said teammate Brendan Gaughan, "I tested with Steve a few weeks ago at VIR (Virginia International Raceway) and I was shocked, to be honest.  The kid was really, really fast; he blew our doors off for most of the day.  What really surprised me most was just how incredibly smooth he was; I just didn't expect that from him.   In looking at his telemetry, I was able to learn a couple of things that really helped me out."

RWR on Road Circuits

Following in the tradition of Rusty Wallace, one of NASCAR's winningest road racers, with six Cup Series road course wins to his credit, RWR has traditionally been strong on road circuits. The team scored three top-ten finishes in four road course starts in 2005 and 2006, including a third-place effort by Jamie McMurray at Watkins Glen in 2006.

The team's program was strengthened by the addition of road course veteran, "Mad" Max Papis for the 2008 road course events and the results showed, with Steve Wallace scoring top-ten finishes in two of the series' three road races last season.

Do not count out Wallace's teammate, Brendan Gaughan, on the road courses either.  The versatile wheelman has vast road course experience in several open-wheel formulas--including a testing role in Indy Lights--and was formerly an instructor at the renowned Bondurant School in Arizona.

Steve Wallace Energized

As if Steve Wallace needs more energy, 5-Hour Energy's racing program returns to its roots this weekend, with Steve Wallace behind the wheel of the No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet for the fourth time this season.

Rusty Wallace Racing and 5-Hour Energy are proud to welcome retail partner Wilson Farms as a member of RWR's 2009 partnership roster.  Wilson Farms will adorn the television panel of the No. 66 for this weekend's event.

5-Hour Energy will serve as primary sponsor of Steve Wallace and the No. 66 team in four of the next six events, including next weekend in 5-Hour's home market of Michigan.  In next weekend's race, Wallace's No. 66 will sport a "fire and flames" paint scheme in recognition of    5-Hour Energy's position as one of the hottest consumer brands on the market today.

In turn, USfidelis will serve as primary sponsor of No. 62--Brendan Gaughan this weekend.

The Wheelmen on Watkins Glen International

Steve Wallace (No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet):  "Watkins Glen is the fastest road course we visit, but probably the least technical.  Brakes are key at The Glen and you have to keep them under you, because your only real chances to pass come in three braking zones:  turn 1, the inner loop and entering the final left-hander.  As a younger driver, The Glen poses another challenge in terms of experience.  We'll have a lot of Cup drivers in the race at Watkins Glen and some of those guys have driven in ten or twelve races there.  With that said, racing with those guys only makes you better, so I'm looking forward to taking it to 'em this weekend.  We're right on the edge of the top-five in points and I'm ready to get up there."

Brendan Gaughan (No. 62 USfidelis Chevrolet):  "The Glen is the last road course I've driven in a stock car, back in 2004 with Penske Racing.  It's a pretty fast place, but one that's a lot of fun to drive.  They've made a lot of changes to the course since I've been there last, most notably paving the runoff area in turn one.  It'll be really interesting to see what happens when you combine the double file restarts with that change to turn one."

Primary Chassis Information

No. 66--Steve Wallace:  RWR-016, the elder statesman of RWR's road course fleet, was last raced by Wallace in the 2008 edition of this event.  Prior to that, it ran both 2006 road course races with Jamie McMurray behind the wheel, scoring a third place finish at The Glen and a top-ten in Mexico City.  The 16 car was used as a two-seat trainer following 2006 and was pulled from retirement when RWR expanded its operations in 2008.  Wallace's backup is RWR-028, wheeled by Wallace to top-ten finishes at Montreal and Mexico City last season.

No. 62--Brendan Gaughan: RWR-023 was last driven by Max Papis in last year's race at the The Glen, where it scored an 11th-place finish.  Papis also wheeled the 23 car at Mexico City, where it was one of the fastest cars in the field after being caught up in a multi-car accident.  The 23 car also ran all three 2007 road course events with Steve Wallace behind the wheel.  Gaughan's backup is RWR-027, wheeled by Papis to the outside pole at Montreal last season.

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About Rusty Wallace Racing, LLC

U.S.-based Rusty Wallace Racing is a professional auto racing team steeped in the legendary history of its founder and one of NASCAR’s top-ten drivers of all-time, Rusty Wallace.  In 2008, the team’s No. 64 entry was ranked among the top-ten overall in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  For 2009, the organization campaigns the No. 66 and No. 62 Chevrolet Impala SS vehicles in the Nationwide Series.  Its No. 66 entry is piloted by third-generation wheelman, Steve Wallace and its No. 62 wheeled by former NASCAR Truck Series Rookie of the Year, Brendan Gaughan.  Both drivers are currently among the top-ten in the 2009 standings.  For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit rustywallace.com.