Perseverance Pays Off For Wallace at Iowa

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In: Xfinity Series News

Perseverance paid off on Sunday as Kenny Wallace and RAB Racing with Brack Maggard earned their best finish of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season at Iowa Speedway with a sixth-place
position in the John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer. The day proved to be extra special for Wallace as he made his 500th career-start competing in the Nationwide Series and his 855th combined career-start in NASCAR’s top-three divisions.

For the third week in a row inclement weather canceled NNS qualifying, forcing Wallace to take the green flag in the No. 09 American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-OIL Toyota Camry from the 14th position based on current owner points. The event ran caution free over the opening laps until the mandatory NASCAR competition caution flew on lap 52. RAB Racing Crew Chief, Scott Zipadelli, took advantage of the first two cautions, bringing Wallace to pit road for chassis adjustments to improve the handling of the No. 09
Toyota.

When the caution flag waved for the third time, Wallace visited pit road for a lengthy pit stop to fix front end damage suffered during the second caution period restart. Wallace and Zipadelli continued their radio communication in order to make changes on the No. 09. During the fourth caution on lap 130 for a spin in turn 2, Wallace returned to pit road for new tires, fuel and adjustments. When the fifth and final caution flag flew on lap 220, Wallace found himself with the track position he needed to stay at the front of the field. Finishing the final 25 laps under green, Wallace battled to the sixth position to earn the team its best finishing position and second consecutive top-10 of the season.

With two back-to-back finishes inside the top-10, Wallace remains in the seventh position in the driver point standings, 20 points from the fifth position. The No. 09 gained in the owner point standings to 13th.

RAB Racing PR

Speedway Digest Staff
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