Kenny Wallace's day ended early with an accident during the spring race at Talladega. Credit: Autostock

Kenny Wallace, DEI, Aaron's team up at Talladega

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Kenny Wallace returns to the Nextel Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway this week, this time driving the No. 1 Aaron's Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Wallace, who has made three Nextel Cup Series starts this season in the No. 00, drove the No. 1 Chevrolet on an interim basis for DEI in 2001 and 2002. During that time, he posted two top-10 finishes and earned a Bud Pole Award in 16 starts.

Kenny Wallace

Since making his Nextel Cup Series debut in 1990, Wallace has made 304 starts and earned six top-five and 27 top-10 finishes along with three Bud Pole Awards. This will be his first start with DEI since the Atlanta spring race in 2002.

"I am very honored that DEI asked me to drive the car at Talladega," Wallace said. "It's great to be back in the No. 1 Chevrolet again; it was probably the best time of my career when I drove the car before and I hated to leave.

"I know I am going to have a big part in Talladega. The same crew that helped get Ron Fellows to a second-place finish at Watkins Glen is going to be helping me. Richie Gilmore, DEI and Michael Waltrip have been great through all this and I can't wait to get there."

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Gilmore, DEI director of motorsports, said the decision to put Wallace in the car was an easy one.

"We talked to Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip about who they felt could help them out with drafting at Talladega -- they both said Kenny Wallace," Gilmore said. "He already has a relationship with Aaron's and Michael Waltrip Racing, having made three starts for that team this year. So, we just put the deal together to bring Kenny to the No. 1 car for this race and Aaron's and Michael were behind it, too.

"We're looking forward to having Kenny in the car and he's an exciting person to have around our teams. We know he'll be a great teammate to both Michael and Dale Jr."