Catchfence

GAFFNEY, S.C. (June 28, 2011) – There probably isn’t a week that goes by when someone doesn’t ask a driver if they can go for a ride in their race car.

This weekend, that’s just what a bunch of fans are going to do when Mike Wallace pulls out onto the 2.5-mile surface of Daytona International Speedway in his No. 01 Cowboys & Aliens Chevrolet for NASCAR Nationwide Series action. Through a very successful promotion for the movie of “Cowboys & Aliens,” a lot of very lucky fans are going to be riding on the car with Wallace.

The promotion allowed fans to send in their photo. Universal Studios took the pictures, put together a huge collage from them and made into a wrap for this weekend’s Daytona race. And, if Wallace can pull off what he did in this race in 2004, those fans will pull right into Victory Lane with him.

When it comes to racing – anything – at Daytona, the St. Louis native knows what it takes to be successful. And, coming off a career-best road course finish of fifth last week at Road America only bolsters Wallace’s confidence in himself and his JD Motorsports team even more.

· In addition to this being Wallace’s 399th- NNS start, it’s also his 23rd NNS start at DIS. Through those first 22 races he has one win, two top-fives and four top-10 finishes. He’s completed 88.3 percent of the laps contested and led 36 circuits.

· He has started every NNS race this season, led nine laps and completed 89.5% percent of the laps. His best finish of the season took place at Road America last weekend when he crossed under the yellow and checkered flags in fifth place. The No. 01 Chevrolet driver has two top-10 finishes this season, as well.

· Currently 13th in the Driver’s Points standings, Wallace trails 12th place by a mere point.

· His success at DIS includes an ARCA win (1994), Camping World Truck Series win (2000) and NNS win (2004) when he led just a single lap – the important one – to claim victory.

· The movie sponsorship of “Cowboys & Aliens” will be on the car for this race and next weekend leading up to its release date of July 29. For more information about the movie, starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, log on to www.CowboysandAliensMovie.com.

Mike Wallace Quotes for Daytona:

“I have always just had a knack for knowing how to run the restrictor-plate races like Daytona. For some reason, Daytona has been much better for me than Talladega. I don’t have a specific reason, it just happens to go that way for me.

“Each of my wins at that track is special and different. In 2000, I was leading the race on the white flag lap, lost it down the backstretch, got it back in Turn 3 and kept it coming through 4 right to the checkered flag. In 2004, I didn’t lead a lap all day until we were coming out of Turn 4 and I went to the high side and beat everyone to the line. I’d like to lead a lot of laps this time and win it that way, but you know how racing at Daytona is for everyone.

“It’s been great having everyone asking me or checking on the Cowboys & Aliens website to see their picture made it on to the car. I give credit to the folks at Universal Studios, they did a great job putting all the photos together to have it come out the way it did. Now, it’s up to me and my JD Motorsports team to do our part and get them a great finish.”

- JD Motorsports Press Release