NASCAR Winston Cup CMT 300 Preview: #2, Rusty Wallace
12 September 1997
#2 Rusty Wallace, Miller Lite Ford Thunderbird
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
CMT 300 Advance
New Hampshire International Speedway
IN SUNDAY'S NEW HAMPSHIRE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY "GO";
ODDS FAVOR WALLACE TO "WIN," "PLACE" OR "SHOW"
LOUDON, NH - Perhaps it was only appropriate that Rusty Wallace was in the
infield media center at New Hampshire International Speedway on Thursday,
July 11 of last year. Wallace, serving as the advance driver under the NASCAR
Winston Cup Series Winner's Circle Program, was among the first to receive a
copy of the press release announcing the addition of a second Winston Cup
race at N.H.I.S. for the 1997 season.
One can look at the performance chart since the elite racing series started
visiting Bob Bahre's picturesque 1.058-mile oval back in 1993 and deduce that
there's no driver happier than Wallace about the additional New Hampshire
race and this weekend's return visit for Sunday's running of the CMT 300.
"From a competitive standpoint, we couldn't pick anywhere better to be going
this week than back to New Hampshire," said Wallace, driver of the Miller
Lite Team Penske Ford Thunderbird. "We always run well there and we're back
on an upward spiral. It's like a kid getting a second free trip through the
candy store."
All the prior visits to this New England track have certainly been sweet
enough for Wallace and crew. He won the inaugural race in 1993 and has
recorded three top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes in the five races
held to date. He has the best average finish of all drivers, a 4.0 average
(even though his average starting spot is 25th), and is one of only two
drivers (Ricky Rudd the other) to have completed all possible laps (1,500 of
1,500) and posted all top-10 N.H.I.S. finishes entering Sunday's race.
"We just adapted to the New Hampshire track from the get-go," said Wallace, a
fifth-place finisher at Richmond, Va., last Saturday night. "It's a flat
track with long straights and handling is at a premium. We just seemed to be
able to get a handle on what it takes to be competitive on the track and we've
been fortunate enough to be in the thick of the competition in every race.
"Now, the qualifying deal may be a little different. But, you know, if
there's any track we go to that is a big reflection of our overall
performance, New Hampshire has to be it. We've yet to qualify in the top 10
in any of the races, but we've always been able to make it up toward the
front after the green flag falls. I'll never forget winning that first race
from starting in the back of the pack (started 33rd). We qualified so bad
that we had to pit way down at the far end of pit road. But, in the race it
was a different story. We fought our way to the front and stayed there."
Wallace started 12th and finished third in the July 13 race earlier this
season at N.H.I.S. "It was one of those races where track position was
critical and teams were 'two-tiring' it to gain spots. The two-tire stops
that we had to do to keep up with the other leaders made our car way too
loose. With that in mind, we were pretty well pleased to be able to hang on
to that third-place finish."
Wallace and his Robin Pemberton-led Miller Lite Team will be racing the same
car this weekend at N.H.I.S. that was used in the July race. The PC-2, named
"R.P." in honor of team owner Roger Penske after winning at Richmond back in
March, is the car of choice. Raced last Saturday night at Richmond, where
Wallace started 14th and drove to a fifth-place finish, the car's overall
record sports one win, one pole position, four top-five finishes and six
top-10 finishes in seven races. The only finish out of the top-10 came at
Bristol three weeks ago when loose lug nuts forced Wallace to pit while
running third and relegated him to a 12th-place finish.
Qualifying sessions for Sunday's 300-lap, 317.4-mile race are set for Friday
at 4:00 p.m. (for positions 1-25) and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (to complete the
potential 43-car starting field). The CMT 300 has a 12:40 p.m. EDT starting
time on Sunday and features live coverage by TNN and MRN Radio.
Rusty Wallace Career Track Records
NEW HAMPSHIRE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
(1.058 miles)
Date Event Car St Fn Laps $ Won Status
7/13/97 Jiffy Lube 300 Ford 12 3 300/300 55,525 Running
7/14/96 Jiffy Lube 300 Ford 17 7 300/300 30,275 Running
7/9/95 Slick 50 300 Ford 20 6 300/300 30,925 Running
7/10/94 Slick 50 300 Ford 18 3 300/300 38,975 Running
7/11/93 Slick 50 300 Pontiac 33 1 300/300 77,500 Running
Races Wins Top-5 Top-10 Poles $$$$$
Jiffy Lube 300 5 1 3 5 0 233,650
Lap Completion Percentage: 1,500/1,500 = 100%
By Tom Roberts Public Relations