The Gecko 6th in Nashville, Off to the Bluegrass State

Player Management International Media Release

Lebanon, TN (June 7, 2008) – As the 2008 season wears on, Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team just keep getting better.  Sitting in the middle of a series of good runs over the last few weeks, the GEICO team looked to improve upon past finishes and chase their first win of the season as they descended upon Nashville Superspeedway.  
 
If practice were any indication, the GEICO team would have an exciting race in store for them.  The end of the opening practice session found Mike Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry in the 4th position on the speed charts.  When the red flag waved over the final practice session, Wallace and the Gecko would drop just one spot to 5th on the final sheet.  
 
Qualifying would also prove fruitful for the persistent Germain Racing team.  Wallace would tour the 1.33-mile D-shaped oval in 30.319 seconds, at a rate of speed of 158.277 MPH, which would place him 9th on the grid, providing the GEICO team with their best starting position of the season.  
 
A steamy, hot Tennessee afternoon was the setting for the Federated Auto Parts 300.  As temperatures hovered around the 100-degree mark and the afternoon sun beat down on pit road, Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team prepared to get busy with recording yet another top finish.  
 
When the green flag was displayed, Wallace immediately dropped two spots to 11th.  This, however, would not last long as Wallace would charge back to the front and within a few laps he returned to the Top 10.  Lap 58 would find him making a smooth move around NASCAR Sprint Cup star Carl Edwards to secure the 8th position.  Just three laps later, Wallace and the Gecko arrived in the Top 5 where they rested before taking command of the race and finding themselves in the lead.  
 
The GEICO pit crew would provide superior support during pit stops and assist in keeping the #7 GEICO Camry up front.
 
As the evening began to wind down, Wallace found a home in the Top 10 and remained there for the balance of the evening.  He would closely flirt with the Top 5, however when the checkered flag waved under cooler skies, Wallace would record his best finish in two years, as he wound up 6th in Music City.  The finish would be his 5th Top 10 of the 2008 season.  
 
“We had a great weekend and the results show the progress that we’re making as a race team,” Wallace said.  “Everyone’s real positive and we’re all working hard and it’s showing each week.  4th and 5th in practice, qualified 9th and finished 6th.  It’s a nice weekend for GEICO, Sport Clips and Smith Transport.  It’s also a nice weekend for the Germain Racing team because we’re all seeing the hard work payoff.  Bruce Cook (crew chief) and the guys are doing a great job and I feel confident that we’ll be back up front in Kentucky next week.”   
 
This week, the Germain Racing team heads to Sparta, Kentucky, which is located just south of Cincinnati, Ohio.  Mike Wallace and the GEICO team are coming off of two consecutive Top 10’s and they hope to add a win to their resume when they arrive in the Bluegrass State.  
 
Mike Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry will hit the track at Kentucky Speedway for their opening practice session on Friday, June 13th, at 5:00 PM (ET), with the final practice session being held at 6:45 PM (ET).  Qualifying will be held on Saturday afternoon at 5:10 PM (ET).
 
The Meijer 300 is on Saturday, June 14th, and it will be televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 8:00 PM (ET), while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.  
 
Visit the innovative, interactive GEICO Racing web site at: www.geicogarage.com.  
 
To learn more about the GEICO Racing program, please visit: www.GEICOracing7.com .
 
To learn more about the Sport Clips Racing program, please visit: www.SportClips.com .