Rusty Wallace to make Busch Series return

LOUDON, N.H. -- Rusty Wallace will make his first start in the NASCAR Busch Series in seven years, later this season in the No. 66 Duraflame Dodge he owns.

Rusty Wallace

Wallace this week announced he was replacing rookie Billy Parker -- who will remain with his start-up team as a test and development driver -- with fellow Nextel Cup driver Jamie McMurray.

McMurray will drive a number of races in the Rusty Wallace Incorporated team's limited schedule, sharing driving duty with Wallace, whose last start in the Busch Series came in 1997.

"This was a really tough decision to make," Wallace said of the driver change. "The team's performance just isn't where we think it should be, so we have to start taking a look at what's going on.

"In order to do that, we had to get more of a veteran in the car so that we can evaluate our equipment. Jamie McMurray has a great record in the Busch Series and I think that his input is going to really help this team."

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McMurray won the last three Busch races held at North Carolina Speedway, driving cars fielded by James Finch.

Wallace made the first of his 34 career starts in the Busch Series in 1985. He has eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes, including a second at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"(McMurray's) an incredibly talented and aggressive driver," Wallace said. "Billy Parker is a great person and a great friend of my family. I still believe in him and his ability to drive a racecar. He's one of the most naturally talented people I've met in terms of handling fans, sponsors and media."