Denver-based team to have two cars in Daytona 500

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published February 14, 2008 at 5:06 p.m.
Updated February 14, 2008 at 5:06 p.m.

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DAYTONA BEACH -- Kenny Wallace, Joe Nemechek and Joe Garone were feeling a Mile High Thursday afternoon.

Denver-based Furniture Row Racing will have two drivers in Sunday’s Daytona 500 as Wallace won a transfer spot into the 50th anniversary race in Thursday’s first Gatorade Duel at Daytona International Speedway.

Nemechek secured a spot in NASCAR’s biggest race during qualifying last Sunday and Garone, FRR’s team manager, called Thursday a milestone day for the third-year Cup team.

Wallace finished eighth in the qualifying duel that was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout in his first race with his new Hendrick Motorsports team.

Nemechek was 12th in the 60-lap race.

Brian Vickers finished 11th to claim the second transfer spot available in the race for the drivers who were not guaranteed position in Sunday’s Great American race.

“Besides my wife and my children, this moment right now is the greatest time in my life,” Wallace said. “This is the 50th annual Daytona 500, the biggest sporting event in the United States right now, and I raced myself into it.”

Wallace drove for FRR for a while last season but was asked to exit the driver’s seat so the team could try other drivers.

Nemechek, nicknamed Front Row Joe because of his ability to qualify which FRR has to do because it is out of the Top 35 in owner’s points, signed a two-year contract to drive the No. 78 Impala this season.

“It’s a special day,” Nemechek said. “The team has been trying for three years to get into the race and now all of a sudden we have two cars in the 500. We’ve seen the Furniture Row team come a long way from last year.”

Wallace will drive Sunday but it will be his only race in the No. 87 Impala unless sponsorship can be found for the second FRR car.

“My story, the way I feel, is just incredible,” Wallace said. “Last year Furniture Row didn’t know where to turn, what to do to make their team better. I don’t think I was fired. What they said is they want to try other drivers but we’re going to keep paying you.

“It’s like Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s story but on a real small level. He wanted to change teams to prove how good he was. My team gave me one chance, one opportunity to prove my ability. They’ve made it clear, they would like a second team and would like for me to drive.”

But in the meanwhile Denver-native Garone was busy accepting congratulations outside the team hauler.

“We’ve achieved another milestone,” he said. “We hadn’t been able to make the 500 and the preparation and work we’ve done the past three years have come to the point here at the 500.”

Denny Hamlin, driving a Joe Gibbs Toyota, notched his second Gatorade win in the second 150-mile qualifier.

Three-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Jarrett and John Andretti were the third and fourth race-in-or-go-home drivers to make Sunday’s starting field.

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