Wallace grabs part-time deal with Phoenix

Nextel Cup veteran Mike Wallace has landed a part time deal with Phoenix Racing for the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.

Wallace, who lost his ride with Morgan McClure Motorsports when the #4 team signed Scott Wimmer, will attempt to qualify for seven races in the coming season with the #09 James Finch owned Miccosukee Indian Gaming sponsored Dodge.

Although the #09 is a part time team, they have shown themselves to be a more than capable restrictor plate force, Geoffrey Bodine finishing third in the 2002 Daytona 500. Wallace, who has also scored three top ten, finishes for the team in just ten starts, will begin his 2006 campaign with Finch at Daytona next month.

While Wallace will need to either qualify for the Daytona 500 on speed or race his way into the event during Thursday's Gatorade Duels, should he make it into the 43 car starting line-up he could be a force to be reckoned with on race day, the #09 team having scored three top ten finishes at the 2.5-mile Superspeedway in their last seven appearances at the track.