PATIENT WALLACE FINISHES 7^TH AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEFDWAY

Kenny Wallace and his Stacker 2/Northeastern Supply Company race team parlayed some patience with solid pit decisions to earn an impressive, seventh place finish in Saturday afternoon’s Aaron’s 312, NASCAR Busch Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Though he never led a lap nor was capable of challenging the race’s dominant cars, Wallace was able to remain on the lead lap as his crew continually made adjustments to his #23 Chevrolet Monte Carlo during the 208-lap race. The event was extended by three laps when a late caution brought out the red flag and forced the race to be concluded under NASCAR’s new green-white-checker policy that prevents most races from ever ending under caution.

Wallace started the race in the 12^th position and was shuffled back into to middle of the field of 43 cars during the first half of the race on NASCAR's fastest racetrack. In fact, by lap 84, Wallace and his loose racecar were in danger of going a lap down only to be saved by one of the race’s many cautions. Chassis adjustments engineered by crew chief Chris Rice then began to pay off, and with 60 laps remaining, Kenny moved into the top 10 for the first time. He was then able to get past the machines of David Stremme, point leader Martin Truex, Jr. and J.J. Yeley over the later stages of the race to take the seventh spot and secure his ninth top ten finish of 2004. Only 11 cars completed all 208 laps.

Defending Nextel Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth rallied late to narrowly beat rookie Kyle Busch to the line for the win with Kasey Kahne, Robby Gordon and Greg Biffle rounding out the top five. Only Busch is a Busch Series regular in that group, and the runner-up finish helped Busch narrow his deficit in the points race leading to the 2004 Series driver’s title to 176 behind pacesetter Truex, Jr.

Wallace’s 7^th place effort enabled him to maintain his hold on ninth place in the points standing, 39 better than tenth place Ashton Lewis, Jr. Kenny also has a shot at finishing as high as eighth in points as he trails current eighth place driver Jason Leffler by 124 points but knowing that Leffler is gone for the season after being released from his ride two weeks ago.

Only three races remain for Busch to try and overtake Truex for the championship and for Wallace to vault past Leffler beginning with next Saturday’s Basha’s Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. That race will be televised live by NBC beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.