Player Management International Media Release
West Allis, WI (June 21, 2008) – Unfortunately, early in the day on Saturday in Englishtown, NJ, the racing world suffered a devastating blow when NHRA racing legend Scott Kalitta lost his life after a crash during qualifying. It is for this reason that you are going to receive an abbreviated post-race release from the Milwaukee race on Saturday night.
It is with a heavy heart that we at GEICO Racing ask you to take the extra few minutes that you would spend reading the post-race release to say a prayer for Kalitta’s wife, Kathy, and their two sons, Corey and Colin, along with his cousin, Doug, and father, Connie.
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The GEICO Racing team has had a nice run of Top 10’s over the last few weeks and they were looking to add to the total at The Milwaukee Mile, where Mike Wallace has previously visited Victory Lane. After recording a third place finish in Kentucky a week ago, they were hoping to improve two spots and find themselves in Victory Lane.
Wallace and the Gecko would sit 8th at the end of the first practice and 15th at the close of the final practice session. Qualifying would find them 25th, starting just ahead of Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
The #7 GEICO Camry would experience a slight fender bender at the beginning of the race, however they would return to the track on the lead lap and battle hard for positions. Wallace would reach the Top 10 by Lap 90, where he sat in the 9th position, but he would spend the majority of the evening running solidly in the Top 15. By the close of the event, Wallace would rest in the 18th spot when the checkered flag waved over the oldest track in the country.
“We had kind of a tough evening tonight, but fared well in the point standings, so all is not lost,” Wallace said. “Above all though, I would like to ask everyone to keep Scott Kalitta’s family in their thoughts and prayers. He was a champion and a great guy and the racing world as a whole will miss him.”
This week, the Germain Racing team heads to Loudon, NH, for race number 18 of 35.
Mike Wallace and the #7 GEICO Camry will hit the track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for their opening practice session on Friday, June 27th at 10:30 AM (ET), with the final practice session being held at 1:45 PM (ET). Qualifying will be held on Saturday morning at 10:05 AM (ET).
The Camping World RV Sales 200 by RVs.com is on Saturday, June 28th, and it will be televised live on ABC beginning at 2:30 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.