Mike Wallace claimed his first win in the Camping World Truck Series in 11 years by taking Saturday’s Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Wallace, a Nationwide Series regular, got a lot of pushing help from his Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate, Ron Hornaday Jr., to lead 54 of the 94 laps. Both drivers were hooked up in a two-truck tandem for most of the race at the 2.66- mile superspeedway.
The 52-year-old Wallace substituted for Elliott Sadler in KHI’s No.33 Chevrolet. Sadler was scheduled to drive the truck, but his wife, Amanda, is expecting their second child, which prompted the substitution earlier this week.
Wallace and his wife, Carla, had planned on celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend, before he received a phone call from team co-owner Kevin Harvick.
He is now a five-time race winner in the truck series. MiamiHerald.com
Wallace had tears in his eyes when he climbed out of his truck in Victory Lane.
“I’m very emotional right now, because a lot of people doubt you,” Wallace said. “They doubt your ability. An opportunity like this just proves, ‘Hey, I can get it done. Give me something good to drive, and I can prove I can do it.’
“I’m numb. My son’s at home, my daughters ... I wish they were all here. It is my wife [Carla] and my anniversary this weekend. It’s a cool anniversary.”
Wallace turned to his wife in Victory Lane.
“This is your exotic weekend, honey,” Wallace said. NASCAR.com
James Buescher finished third and sliced his deficit in the championship race to three points behind Austin Dillon.
Ricky Carmichael was fourth and followed by Jason White, Todd Bodine and Dillon. Brendan Gaughan, Kyle Busch and Max Papis rounded out the top 10.
Dillon worked with Busch most of the race, and seemed poised to make a run at Wallace in the closing laps. But a caution slowed the action, racing resumed with seven laps to go but the yellow flag came right back out for debris. Dillon was then flagged for failing to maintain reasonable speed, and had to drop back to 17th on the restart that came with two laps remaining. USA Today
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NASCAR Truck Series: Coca-Cola 250 at Talladega Superspeedway - Race Results
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