RWR at Michigan.

NNS:  In seven total Nationwide Series starts at MIS, RWR’s best finish is sixth, posted by Rusty Wallace in 2004, following a 42nd-place start.  David Stremme started from the fourth position in last year’s running of this event, the team’s best start at MIS to date.

ARCA:  In June 2006, David Stremme accomplished an unbelievable feat behind the wheel of RWR’s No. 61 at MIS.  Stremme led 99 of 100 laps and lapped the entire field en route to victory in the Hantz Group 200.

STEVE WALLACE AT MICHIGAN:  Steve Wallace’s first  career ARCA RE/MAX Series win came at MIS in August, 2005.  Wheeling a No. 27 Kodak Dodge jointly prepared by Penske Racing and RWR, Wallace dominated the event, leading 84 of 106 laps on his way to victory lane in the Hantz Group 200, his first-ever speedway start.  In the process, Wallace became the youngest professional event winner in MIS history, at the age of 18 years and one day.

BRENDAN GAUGHAN AT MICHIGAN:  Brendan Gaughan has a solid history at Michigan.  In six Truck Series starts at MIS, Gaughan has posted one win (2003) and three top-five finishes, including back-to-back top-fives in the 2007 and 2008 events.  He has completed all but one of the 602 laps he has attempted in Truck Series competition at MIS.  One of Gaughan’s best Sprint Cup performances came at Michigan during the spring of 2004, in which he started sixth and led 13 laps before late-race contact with Robby Gordon took him out of contention for the victory.

Notes of Interest.

HEATING IT UP:  5-Hour Energy is one of the hottest consumer brands on the market today and Steve Wallace is one of the Nationwide Series' hottest drivers as of late.  In recognition of this, Wallace's No. 66 5-Hour Energy Chevrolet will carry a special "Fire and Flames" paint scheme this weekend in his sponsor's hometown race.  The makers of 5-Hour Energy are located in a nearby suburb of Detroit.

WALLACE “POINTING” AHEAD:  Over the last four races, Steve Wallace has gained three positions in the Nationwide Series driver standings; he now sits a career-best sixth position overall and is a mere 50 points from cracking the top-five.

WELCOME ABOARD:  Rusty Wallace Racing and 5-Hour Energy are pleased to welcome Meijer as a partner on the No. 66 car for this weekend’s event at MIS.

Primary Chassis Information.

NO. 66: STEVE WALLACE:  A workhorse of the RWR fleet since 2007, RWR-022 is one of the greybeards of the RWR fleet, but is still quite possibly Steve Wallace’s favorite car.  Wallace piloted the 22 car to the pole at Nashville in 2007 and then followed it up with a near win at Kentucky the next week.  Assigned to David Stremme for 2008, car 022 scored two top-five and four top-ten finishes last year, including a runner-up finish at Nashville.  This year, RWR-022 is again assigned to Wallace and has two top-ten finishes to its credit in 2009, at California and Nashville.

NO. 62: BRENDAN GAUGHAN:  RWR-024 was the polesitter earlier this year at Bristol.  It also finished seventh in a backup role at Las Vegas and came home 12th, after a top-ten start, at Dover.  The 24 car ran two races in 2008 with David Stremme, with a best finish of 12th at Charlotte and a best start of third at Kansas.

The Wheelmen on Michigan International Speedway.

STEVE WALLACE (NO. 66 5-HOUR ENERGY CHEVROLET):  “I like racing at Michigan—when you have a good car that is.  When your car handles well here, you can race all over the track—high, low, middle—there are just tons of different ways to pass cars.  When your car isn’t handling well at Michigan, well, you’re the one getting passed every which way. 

“We haven’t had great Nationwide Series cars here in the past—although our ARCA cars have been outstanding—but we’re bringing one of my favorite cars here this weekend.  I really feel that with Trip Bruce now on board and all of the momentum our team has right now, this should be the race that we get our program back on track at Michigan.”

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (NO. 62 USFIDELIS CHEVROLET):  “Racing at Michigan?  I love racing at Michigan, baby!  Anywhere you can run all day long at the top of the racetrack and be fast is my kind of place.  With that said, what makes racing at Michigan fun is definitely all of the different  options you have in terms of your line around the racetrack.  You’ll see us passing all over the place on Saturday. 

“I’ve had a pretty good amount of success at Michigan in the past.  We won the truck race there in 2003 and had top-fives in the last two truck races there.  Heck, I even ran pretty well in the Cup Series at Michigan back in the 77 car.  Our team needs to start building some momentum again so we can start climbing back up there in the points; this would be the perfect weekend to do that.”

About Rusty Wallace Racing.

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 NASCARNationwide 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 ranked among the top-ten in the 2009 driver standings.  For more on Rusty Wallace Racing, please visit rustywallace.com.