NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series regular, Kenny Wallace, will be starting in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race since Phoenix, 1996. This weekend Wallace will return to his hometown of St. Louis for the Ram Tough 200 at the Gateway International Raceway. Wallace will pilot the No. 51 Flanders Beef Patties Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado Saturday, September 1, 2007.

This will be Wallace’s first NCTS start at the Gateway International Raceway. He has nine previous starts in the Craftsman Truck Series with two top-5 and four top-10 finishes. Wallace has nine previous starts at Gateway in the NASCAR Busch Series at the 1.25 mile oval, with a best finish of sixth place in 2001.

“I am very grateful for Billy Ballew to ask me to drive his truck at a time when I was down and out,” Kenny Wallace said. “Billy Ballew picked me up and to be able to drive this team’s equipment in my hometown of St. Louis, Mo.; well it gets no better then that. I have some unfinished business with Mike (Wallace, brother) at Gateway. He may have more starts there in a truck but I’ve had some good runs in the Busch car here. I just look forward to this opportunity to get a good top-5 run in our hometown for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the No. 51 Flanders Beef Patties Silverado.”

Wallace’s brother Mike Wallace has three top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with his best finish at GIR of fifth in 1999.

Billy Ballew Motorsports has five previous starts at the Gateway International Raceway with a best start of seventh in 2004 and a best finish in the12th place position in 2003.

Flanders Beef Patties will be back on board this weekend with an addition to the primary sponsorship of the No. 51 Chevrolet Silverado. Flanders Beef Patties will also be the primary sponsor for the No. 15 Craftsman Truck piloted by Billy Ballew Motorsports developmental driver JR Norris.

Flanders Beef Patties is headquartered and produced in Waycross, Georgia and is the No. 1 selling economy beef patties in the United States. The product is sold in 49 states in all major grocery retailers and independent grocery retailers across the country. Flanders Beef Patties was also the primary sponsor at the Dover International Speedway and Michigan International Speedway.

The 160 lap, 200 mile race is slated to begin at 5:30pm ET with live televised coverage on SPEED beginning at 5:00pm ET. MRN Radio and their affiliates coverage begins at 5:15pm ET.

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