09 Kenny Wallace

YEAR-BY-YEAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECAP

2011: Finished seventh in series points. … Noticeably in tremendous shape to start the year, joined RAB Racing for major comeback, raising Loop Data Driver Rating 30 points from 2010. … Standings finish was his best as a full-time series driver since 2005 (also seventh). … His 11 top-10 results were most since 2005. Finished as best Toyota driver in standings. … Best start, fourth at Bristol-2. … Average start of 16.1. … Best finish, fifth at Richmond-2. … Best average finish (15.8) since 2003. … Completed 97 percent of laps attempted. … Eclipsed Jason Keller (519) for series record for most career starts at Texas-2; ended season with 522 starts.

2010: Finished 19th in series points. … Raced full season for Jay Robinson Racing. … Ranked second in Loop Data category for Closers by gaining 31 positions over the final 10 percent of each race. … Best finish, 11th, at Talladega. … Completed 95.4 percent of laps attempted.

2009: Finished 11th in series points. … Two top-10 finishes came consecutively, at Lucas Oil Raceway and Iowa. … Started fifth at Memphis. … While running for Jay Robinson, registered the 800th start of his NASCAR national series career on Sept. 11, at Richmond.

2008: Finished 16th in series points. … Running for Robinson, completed first full-time season since 2006 and produced first top-five since 2005, when he was third at Memphis. … Surpassed Tommy Houston for second on series all-time start list in series finale at Homestead-Miami; became only third driver to reach 400 starts when he did so at Milwaukee.

2007: Finished 114th in series points. … Started two races, for Ed Rensi and Richard Childress.

2006: Finished 11th in series points. … Ran full scheduled for Greg Pollex, with four top-10 finishes. … Best start, third, at Charlotte-1 and Phoenix-2. … Best finish, eighth, at Bristol-1, Nashville-1 and Milwaukee. . … Completed 99 percent of laps attempted.

2005: Finished seventh in series points. … Registered ninth top-10 points finish of series career. … Posted five top fives, including seconds at Nashville in April and Darlington in his first year with ppc Racing. … His top fives and top 10s were the most in three seasons. … Had only one DNF (did not finish).

2004: Finished eighth in series points. … Had 10 top-10 finishes for Bill Davis Racing.

2003: Finished 155th in series points. … Ran only race, at Gateway, near hometown of St. Louis. … Finished 10th in a car fielded by Michael Waltrip that carried the logo of Wallace's beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

2002: Finished seventh in series points. … Returned to George deBidart's organization. … Best finishes were two fifth-place runs.

2001: Finished 10th in series points. … Returned to series full-time with deBidart. … Won at North Carolina Speedway in the fall.

2000: Finished 30th in series points. … Drove 15 races for Ed and Sam Rensi. … Best finish was fourth in both races at Bristol.

1999: Finished 23rd in series points. … Ran 18 races for Ed and Sam Rensi. … Best finish was fourth at Richmond-2.

1997: Finished 101st in series points. … Made one start, finishing 26th at Richmond-2.

1996: Finished 41st in series points. … Raced 10 times for Filbert Martocci, with four top-10 finishes. … Won at Richmond-2.

1995: Finished 27th in series points. … Had seven top-10 finishes in 15 starts for Martocci, including a win at Richmond-1.

1994: Finished fourth in series points. … Running for Martocci, had his most productive season as far as wins, with victories at Bristol-2, Richmond-2 and Martinsville-2.

1992: Finished sixth in series points. … Drove full season for Felix Sabates. … Scored a victory at Martinsville-1.

1991: Finished career-best second in series points. … Battled Bobby Labonte for championship until an accident at New Hampshire in October ended his season and he finished 74 points behind Labonte. … Scored first two wins of his career, at Volusia County and New Hampshire.

1990: Finished seventh in series points. … Four top-five finishes and 14 top 10s for owner Randy Hope. … Best finish was second, at Lanier Raceway.

1989: Finished sixth in series points. … Captured rookie of the year honors, driving for a team fielded by his brother, Rusty, who also won the championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series that season. … First career pole came at the season-opener at Daytona.

1988: Finished 81st in series points. … Made series debut at Martinsville-2 in car owned by Dale Earnhardt. … Qualified 26th, finished 11th.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

In 2011, for the third consecutive season, raced solely in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. … Won the 1982 Illinois State Street Stock Championship in his first start as a race car driver. … Proceeded through short track ranks and joined American Speed Association in 1986, winning rookie of the year. … In 18 years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has made 344 career starts with three poles, six top fives and 27 top 10s. … Proudest day was when he pushed Dale Earnhardt to his final victory, at Talladega-2 in 2000, finishing second behind the iconic seven-time champion. … Has served as a highly-valued stand-in driver, for Yates Racing, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Roush Fenway Racing, among others. … Has dabbled in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, with 11 career starts, two top fives, four top 10s. … In recent years has built up a dirt racing program, run from a shop near his St. Louis home, fielding both modified and late model cars that he races as often as he can throughout the year, particularly during winter Speedweeks in Florida.

NOTEWORTHY

Enters 2012 season 23 starts shy of 900 NASCAR national series starts. … In January, along with brothers Rusty and Mike, was inducted into the Ozark Area Racers Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mo. Father Russ Wallace, who passed away in 2011, was inducted in 2004. … In 1991 started a race in place of Kyle Petty, at Phoenix, in conjunction with older brothers Rusty and Mike Wallace, thus becoming the first trio of brothers to drive in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race since Bob, Fonty and Tim Flock in the 1950s. … Three-time NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver. … Used social networking - specifically Facebook and Twitter - to build sponsorship funding from fans for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Montreal and 2011 series event at Charlotte-2. … Nickname is "Herman" and his trademark laugh can almost be heard above the din in the garage. … Also handles TV commentary on SPEED. … Youngest of the three racing Wallace brothers is uncle to NASCAR Nationwide Series competitor Steve and Chrissy, who has run in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. … Father Russ was one of the most successful short-track drivers in the Midwest, starting the family's racing tradition. … Wife, Kim, worked two jobs to pay the bills while Kenny ran ASA, at times sleeping in family car to save a few dollars. … Ken Schrader, Kenny's teammate in 1998 at Andy Petree Racing, was a rival of brother Rusty on tracks around Missouri in the 1970s; yet it was Schrader who let Kenny drive for the first time. … Finished second to Rusty in 1998 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. … Active on Twitter: @Kenny_Wallace.