M. Wallace ready for 'Dega as highest-ranked regular

Mike Wallace remembers the Daytona 500 well. It was a reversed version of A Tale of Two Cities for the driver whose Phoenix Racing team competes full time in the Busch Series with aspirations to be a part-time Cup program.

When his team unloaded at NASCAR's premier event, it was the worst of times for Wallace -- he was 61st on a 61-car speed chart.

By the Numbers

DEI's pair of Juniors, Martin Truex Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr., have owned Talladega by winning the last four NBS races at the 2.66-mile track.

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When he raced his way in through the qualifying races and three days later came off Turn 4 and crossed the finish line in fourth, it was the best of times.

Wallace hasn't competed in a Cup race since then, focusing his efforts solely on the Busch Series and his No. 7 Chevrolet. Nothing this season has tasted quite like his day in Daytona. His best finish in a Busch race this year was 13th at Las Vegas. His average is 21.0. He's led one lap in five different races.

Yet he's seventh in the championship standings, the highest-ranked Busch-only driver. And with the Busch Series stopping at Talladega on Saturday for its spring restrictor-plate race, Wallace's mind is back in February.

"Talladega is as good a shot for us as any," said Wallace, who unloaded on Thursday and led the first practice for Saturday's Aaron's 312 (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Wallace, who said he likes plate racing and has always done well at it, has three top-10s in 10 starts at the 2.66-mile Talladega. He finished 12th in this race a year ago driving the No. 1 car, also with Phoenix Racing. J.J. Yeley is in that ride this year, with Wallace moving to a newly started team at the organization.

"Here in the Busch program I think we're as close as anybody," Wallace said. "I think our motors could use a little bit of help, a little more horsepower. I don't think we have the Hendrick or Roush stuff, but we're trying awful hard."

A lot of teams are trying hard, but Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing have set the bar high this season in the Busch Series. Kyle Busch has led laps in all seven of the races in which he has competed. His part-time schedule has him at sixth in the standings -- not bad, considering his ongoing string of bad luck. (Continued)