Mike Wallace 3rd in Bluegrass State; Ready for Milwaukee Short Track

Player Management International Media Release

Sparta, KY (June 14, 2008) – Coming off of two consecutive Top 10’s, the GEICO Racing team entered the Bluegrass state looking to extend a run that has them rapidly moving towards the Top 5 in the point standings.  Success has become a habit for Mike Wallace and the Germain Racing team and the last few weeks have shown that they both expect to win.
 
While the rain would set in on Friday and prohibit any of the teams from practicing, Mike Wallace capitalized on his spare time and spent extensive time with the media conducting interviews.  Once the rain had cleared overnight, the #7 GEICO Camry was afforded a single practice session on Saturday morning to prepare for the Meijer 300.  Wallace and the Gecko would maximize their time and wind up 12th on the speed charts when practice concluded.
 
With the #7 GEICO Camry in race set-up, Wallace would qualify 16th and find himself on the starting grid just behind Mike Bliss.
 
Under perfect skies and in front of a sold out crowd, the green flag waved and Wallace began moving towards the front of the field. The #7 GEICO Camry had moved into the 14th position by Lap 7, 11th by Lap 39, and Lap 52 found the Gecko sitting comfortably in the Top 10.  Radio traffic during the race would be limited, as Wallace would have little to complain about since the #7 GEICO Camry seemed to almost effortlessly wheel itself around the race track.  
 
When the race met the halfway point on Lap 100, Wallace and the Gecko were riding in the 8th position and then, just 18 laps later, he would pass Clint Bowyer to secure the 7th position.  Ten laps later on Lap 128 Wallace entered the Top 5 and continued his assault on the lead, as he routinely turned laps about a half a second faster than the leader.  
 
Unfortunately, as the race began to wind down, Wallace would suffer a couple setbacks during pit stops and the GEICO Camry would lose 13 positions over two different trips down pit road.  Each time, Wallace would show resilience and quickly recover and bounce the #7 GEICO Camry back into the Top 10.  After losing 7 positions on the final stop, Wallace would restart the race 12th and have just 34 laps to regain his position with the leaders and chase the win under the lights in Kentucky.  
 
Wallace would exhibit superb composure and talent as he methodically made his way back to the front of the field.  By Lap 193, Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry were back in the Top 5 and charging forward.  Seven laps later, the checkered flag would wave over the Meijer 300 and Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team recorded a 3rd place finish in a hard fought battle that challenged both Wallace and the Germain Racing team.
 
The 3rd place finish would bump Wallace and the Gecko from 9th position up to 8th in the point standings.  Not long ago the Top 5 was a distant thought, however Wallace now sits just 149 points removed from the coveted position.
While the media would repeatedly question Wallace after the race as to the status of the final pit stops that set him back thirteen positions, he would maintain composure and say all the right things.
 
“It was great to get a Top 5 for GEICO, Sport Clips, and Smith Transport and we’re looking forward to getting to Milwaukee to try and get a win,” Wallace said.  “We’re a team and we win as a team and lose as a team, so we’ll work through the pit stop problems and focus on the next race and getting to Victory Lane. We don’t get paid to think about the past, but rather to focus on the future.”  
 
This week, the Germain Racing team heads to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for short track racing under the lights.  Mike Wallace and the GEICO team are coming off of three consecutive Top 10 finishes that include the Top 5 in Kentucky.  Dover began the run with an 8th place finish and then the GEICO team went on to finish 6th in Nashville last week and then 3rd in Kentucky on Saturday night.  If this improvement continues it stands to reason that Mike Wallace and the GEICO Racing team could very well be standing in Victory Lane next week in Milwaukee.     
 
Mike Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry will hit the track at the Milwaukee Mile for their opening practice session on Saturday, June 21st, at 10:00 AM (ET), with the final practice session being held at 11:45 AM (ET).  Qualifying will be held on Saturday afternoon at 5:35 PM (ET).
 
The Camping World RV Rental 250 is on Saturday, June 21st, 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 .