BUSCH: Daytona: Kenny Wallace race notes

Race Recap: The Stacker 2 team came to Daytona hoping to win the Hershey Kisses 300. The team tested at Daytona in January and felt they had one of the strongest entries in the field. With veteran driver Kenny Wallace behind the wheel, the team had the confidence it needed to win.

Wallace and the Stacker 2 team posted the 15th fastest time in the first pre race practice session. They felt a higher gear in the car would help them gain some speed for qualifing. In the second practice session, the gear did not help and Wallace posted the 25th fastest time. In the third and final practice before qualifying, the team found the right setup and felt that they could qualify the Stacker 2/YJ Stinger Chevrolet in the top 10. When qualifying was completed on Friday morning, Wallace had locked down the 18th starting position.

The team worked hard to change the car from qualifying mode to race mode in a few hours. During the "happy hour" final practice session on Friday afternoon, Wallace told the team that he had a car that could compete for the win.

With rain in the forecast on Saturday, the Stacker 2 team was anxious to get the race started. Wallace began moving through the field from the drop of the green flag. By lap 10, he had moved into 11th place. He reported the car as handling loosely, so crew chief Chris Rice said that he would tighten the car on the next pit stop. The first caution was waved on lap 12 for a crash on the backstretch. On lap 15, the Stacker 2 crew gave the No. 23 fuel and a wedge adjustment. Rain began to fall just as the damaged cars were removed from the accident scene. The race was halted after 31 laps, with the remaining 89 laps scheduled for Monday morning.

The green flag waved again on Monday under a clear blue sky with Wallace in the eighth position. By lap 40, Wallace advanced to the fifth position and said the car was handling the way he liked. On the very next lap, there was a big wreck that eliminated much of the field. Wallace missed the wreck and fought to stay in the top five. He held on to fifth position for the lap 47 restart.

The Stacker 2 team made its final pit stop under caution on lap 74. The Stacker 2/YJ Stinger crew gave the car four tires and fuel. By lap 100, Wallace placed the car in the 11th position and was fighting for a top-10 spot. He battled in the lead pack but was in the 12th position when the checkered flag flew.

Wallace holds down the 12th position in the NASCAR Busch Series Championship standings, trailing leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 63 points.

Next Event: The Stacker 2 team heads to North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham this weekend for the Feb. 21 Goody's Headache Powder 200. It was at "The Rock" that Wallace won his most recent Busch Series race, and the Stacker 2 team hopes to repeat that feat this weekend.

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