For Kenny Wallace and the #28 Blue Ox, last Saturday’s Nationwide Series event was a true test of our will to compete and a first for Kenny behind the wheel. Due to inclement weather the Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD qualifying was cancelled on Friday, putting the JRR #28 Blue Ox Chevy in the 19^th starting position based on 2009 owner points.

Saturday in front of over 80,000 fans, on a sunny, clear and crisp afternoon in Daytona the green flag was about to drop.  Shortly after the green a couple of cars were involved in a early-race incident, giving the Team a much needed caution to take care of some serious communication concerns.  Kenny could not be heard!  We had no communication from him at all and Jay had the #28 Blue Ox Chevy come in to the pits to change helmets.  Kenny took the chance to tell Jay that the car was mad loose.   The net went down, the window was out and the Team hustled to complete the switch, but the change did not help, we still could not hear any chatter over the radio from Kenny.  Once back on the track and out of the draft, the #28 Blue Ox Chevy quickly fell a lap behind with just over 30 laps in the books.

Kenny was able to keep the car only one lap down while fighting some loose conditions.   As always in Daytona wrecks are a plenty.  Owner Jay Robinson came over the radio and stated with confidence “don’t worry Kenny we are going to get the car right and get this lap back.  We have a long way to go and the cautions will come!” Then, coming out of turn 4 on the Daytona SuperSpeedway and down toward the front stretch came cars a flying.  “They are wrecking out of turn 4 – whoa up! Get low – get low – good job! Go on right through pit road”, said spotter of the #28 Blue Ox Chevy Curtis Aldridge.  The carnage ate up a handful of cars including heralded rookie Danica Patrick.  As NASCAR cleared the track the JRR Team was given the O.K. to take the wave around, putting us back on the lead lap and back in contention after a challenging start.

As the race continued and the crew made the proper adjustments, it was apparent Wallace had a strong-handling car capable of securing a top-20 result. Through the second half of the event, the #28 Blue Ox Chevy was consistently running some of the fastest laps in the field.  Another big wreck on the back stretch almost collected Kenny, but the #28 charged through the wreckage as spotter C.Aldridge guided Kenny through – “Go low – keep coming – there are coming up behind you – go go go!”  Kenny stated after the race that “There were cars all around me. Parts and pieces flying over top the hood.  I don’t know how we made it through that one.”