NNS: High Hopes For Mike Wallace, JD Motorsports At Daytona

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NNS: High Hopes For Mike Wallace, JD Motorsports At Daytona

Mike Wallace is feeling good heading into the 2012 Nationwide Series season...

Media Release | Posted February 21, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL

Mike Wallace is a former winner at Daytona. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

There’s something in the air at JD Motorsports besides elbows and hoods while the team has been working away on race cars lately.

Team owner Johnny Davis is more kid-at-Christmas ready for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season than he has been for a season in years. Driver Mike Wallace has an air of optimism to go along with Davis’ sentiments.

And, rounding out the package is the addition of Newt Moore as crew chief on the No. 01 G&K Services Chevrolet.

“I know everyone comes to Daytona thinking they are going to have a great season, and that’s the way you really need to feel when racing at place like this and starting a new NASCAR season," said Wallace, who will make his 417th career Nationwide start and 24th at Daytona International Speedway in Saturday's season opener.

“But, there really is something going on at JD Motorsports this year that has Johnny, Newt, myself and the guys on the team charged up more than before. I don’t know if it’s because we went through a lot of good changes during the off-season, or Newt has the team working together that much better. All I know is I like it – a lot."

The team finished 13th in driver points last year but already has its sights set on bigger results this season.

Wallace, a three-time winner at Daytona, knows how to run the restrictor-plate races. The St. Louis, Mo., native scored a victory in July 2004 at the 2.5-mile track, and also has two top-fives, four top-10s and an average finish of 19.5 at the facility.

Wallace has led 36 laps while completing 2,305 of 2,596 possible laps at Daytona, where he's won in Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series and ARCA competition.

“My confidence at this track is very good," said Wallace, who is pulling double duty this weekend and attempting to make the Daytona 500 with another team. "I know how to run the plate races, when to make a move, when not to and how to keep myself patient until it’s time to make that right move. I just want all the work Johnny, Newt and the rest of the team put in to get ready for this race to pay off on Saturday.”

As previously announced, country artist Chris Cagle will be on Wallace's decklid promoting his new album. Cagle has also been added to the prerace activities, and will sing the National Anthem prior to Saturday’s event at the World Center of Racing.

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