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Rusty Wallace is bringing back his iconic stock car for a special event at World Wide Technology Raceway. He will use the No. 2 to pace the field ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.25-mile track.
According to a press release from World Wide Technology Raceway, Wallace will use the black stock car to lead the field during pace laps ahead of the Illinois 300 Presented by Ticketmaster on Sunday, June 4. The race-winning car will also have a presence at the track throughout the weekend as it sits next to Kenny Wallace Live! stage.
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GettyRusty Wallace drives ‘Midnight’ during a race at Martinsville Speedway.
Midnight was the name of the Pontiac Grand Prix (Ronnie Hopkins chassis PRS-009) that Wallace drove during the 1992 and 1993 Cup Series seasons. The chassis was also part of the 1994 season as Penske switched to Ford. This black stock car featured red and gold accents, as well as Miller Genuine Draft logos on the hood and sides.
Following the end of the 1994 season, Midnight was shelved. Roger Penske later gave the car to Wallace. Though it did not include the original engine. Wallace actually had to work with builder Doug Yates to put together a period-appropriate engine to bring the car back to life. Now, it will return to the track to pace the field in early June.
Wallace Won Multiple Races With Midnight
GettyRusty Wallace watches practices at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The Missouri native achieved considerable success during his Cup Series career. He celebrated 55 wins while driving for multiple teams, and he won the championship in 1989 for Blue Max Racing.
Several of these wins were behind the wheel of Midnight. The first of these wins was at Richmond Raceway in September 1992. Wallace led 231 laps after starting third overall, and he crossed the finish line at midnight after multiple rain delays.
Wallace added several more wins with Midnight during the 1993 season, which included a season sweep at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Hall of Famer won 10 races in 1993 — eight behind the wheel of Midnight — before he finished second in the standings behind Dale Earnhardt.
While Team Penske switched from Pontiac to Ford for the 1994 season, Midnight remained. The metal body switched to Ford Thunderbird branding, and Wallace used it to win four of his eight races. He finished third in the standings behind Earnhardt and Mark Martin.
WWT Raceway Aims for Another Wild Weekend
GettyDenny Hamlin (left) races in front of Ross Chastain (right) at WWTR.
The 2022 season marked a major change for the NASCAR Cup Series. The drivers and teams headed to World Wide Technology Raceway for the first time, and they took on the 1.25-mile track which had previously hosted both the Craftsman Truck Series and NTT IndyCar Series.
The inaugural Cup Series weekend at WWT Raceway was full of storylines. There was drama featuring Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott, which led to multiple incidents on the track. There was also Joey Logano winning at another new track on the Cup Series schedule.
The expectation is that there will only be more excitement as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to WWT Raceway. The drivers will have a better idea of how to succeed at the track, and they will use this knowledge to deliver standout battles for the fans in attendance. They will do so after following Midnight around the track as part of a special celebration of racing history.
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