Wallace gets five-race Nextel Cup deal

Elwood · March 14, 2004

By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive March 13, 2004

5:16 PM EST (2216 GMT)

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Kenny Wallace will make a five-race return to the Nextel Cup Series later this season in a car collaboratively run by Michael Waltrip Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Wallace will drive a No. 00 Aaron's Chevrolet in the five events beginning with the Aaron's 499 on April 25 at Talladega.

In addition, Wallace will run the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway, the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Sharpie 500 at Bristol and the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta, the home of Aaron's corporate office.

Tony Gibson, the DEI crew chief whose No. 1 Chevrolet is not running a full-time schedule becauseof lack of sponsorship, will supervise Wallace's effort.

"Everyone knows that everything Michael does is a collaboration with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated," Wallace said. "I'm excited, because this is a full-blown effort even though it's only a five-race deal."

Wallace said the first question he asked when Waltrip approached him to do the deal was about testing, and that the team would test at Daytona International Speedway on April 12-13.

"Just when I think I won't ever run in Cup again, I get lucky," Wallace said. "It's nice that people still see my ability. These are five important races, and we're going there to run up front."