Reed Sorenson will be looking to defend his 2005 victory at Gateway. Credit: Autostock

My hometown: St. Louis brewing with anticipation

Gateway race honors 25 years of Anheuser-Busch sponsorship

With an off weekend in the Cup Series, numbers are down in terms of the big boys stepping into the junior circuit -- just seven are entered this weekend. But if there's a time for the Busch Series to shine, it's at Gateway International Raceway.

Kenny Wallace's best finish at Gateway is sixth in 2001. Credit: Autostock

KNOCKING ON THE GATE Gateway is Kenny Wallace's unicorn.  "I just dream of one day winning at Gateway," said Wallace, who grew up in nearby St. Louis and has followed his family's tradition of stock car racing. "To win in front of my high school buddies and family would be really cool."  Wallace has three top-10s in seven starts at the track. But perhaps none were as special as last year's race there, the Wallace Family Tribute 250, when Kenny's brothers Rusty and Mike all competed together on a rare occasion, with Mike finishing second.  This year there'll be another trio of Wallaces, with Rusty's son, Steve, driving the No. 64 Dodge in addition to Mike and Kenny.  As far as preparing differently, however, Kenny Wallace says there's no doubt he has a different attitude toward the track. Masking that is another story.  "You can get all wrapped up in all the chaos because it's my hometown," he said. "I truly try to go in there like it is another racetrack."  WALLACE Q&A Kenny and Steve Wallace spoke to the media this week and previewed Saturday's race at Gateway International.  •   Complete Q&A, click here BUSCH SILVER 250 •   Entry List •   2006 Standings •   2006 Loop Data •   Weekend Schedule •   Complete Coverage

Set in Madison, Ill., the 1.25-mile speedway is synonymously known with St. Louis, home of Anheuser-Busch. And with the Busch Series celebrating 25 years of sponsorship by the corporation, a trophy will be a hot commodity Saturday night in the Busch Silver Celebration 250 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

"With Anheuser-Busch sponsoring this race, this series and this race being in their backyard, Saturday's race instantly became one of the more prestigious races of the year," said Denny Hamlin, who finished 11th there last year. "Only one driver will have the chance to win the Busch 25th anniversary race so you will see teams putting a little more pressure on themselves and maybe taking some chances they normally wouldn't."

Hamlin's crew chief, Dave Rogers, says that's exactly what gives younger drivers an advantage at Gateway.

"Sometimes when the notebook is too big, you try things that have worked in the past but they don't seem to respond the same on this year's car," Rogers said. "Without the notebook, you get the fresh start."

Reed Sorenson knows that's what it takes. He's the defending winner of this race, taking the trophy home last year in his first visit.

"It was one of those runs where your car may be a little too tight or too loose, but you don't want to touch it because it is so close to perfect you don't want to chance messing it up," said Sorenson, who will be taking a different chassis there this year.

Sorenson qualified second last year, surprising his own team with the hot lap. Then after spending most of the night near the front, he made his move to the lead with 33 laps to go and sprinted to the finish.

"Starting from the outside pole obviously gave me a confidence boost, but it didn't take long for me to realize the car was going to be strong," said Sorenson, who led a total of 60 laps in what turned out to be his second career Busch Series victory.

Kevin Harvick sides with the no-notes theory, too.

In two starts at Gateway, the points leader has two victories. His first came in 2000 -- his first career Busch Series victory in just his 22nd start. His second came the following year, when he ran full time in both the Busch and Cup series for the first time, finishing fifth in the Cup standings but winning the Busch title.

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In fact, the Gateway winner has gone on to win the Busch championship five times. Harvick would like to make it a sixth. But he knows it will be a long night Saturday, with nighttime temperatures expected near the 90-degree mark.

"I remember that it was extremely hot," Harvick said of his two Gateway victories. "I think that was the most miserable I have ever been in a racecar. I think I took two IVs after the race and had to fly to New Hampshire to race the Cup car the next day.

"However, we won the race at St. Louis and that was the most important thing."

This week, there'll be no mad dash to hit another racetrack for Sunday. There won't be as much heat when the sun goes down. But things will get heated.

"Many people consider the Busch Series the AAA league of NASCAR," Hamlin said, "but it is as hard to win a race in the Busch Series as it is in the Cup Series, sometimes even harder."