If you’ve seen the Stacker 2 TV commercials, featuring Winston Cup driver Kenny Wallace, you’ve seen the work of Belvidere native Karen Sweigert Finnuchio. Finnuchio, a member of Belvidere High School’s class of 1977, wrote and produced the zany ads for the diet product. Finnuchio is the marketing vice president for Stacker 2, which has its headquarters in Sussex County, N.J. She directed her company into NASCAR last year after a stint as a sponsor for World Wrestling Federation. Finnuchio put together the deal to have Wallace — the youngest brother of Rusty Wallace — sponsored by Stacker in the Busch Series. On top of that, a one-year sponsorship of the Busch race at Nazareth Speedway was in he cards. Finnuchio, Stacker and Wallace move to the big time this year. Wallace will drive the #23 Stacker 2-sponsored Dodge in the Winston Cup Series for owner Bill Davis. Wallace is teamed with Ward Burton, last year’s Daytona 500 winner. Wallace, known around the garages as “Herman,” said a new Finnuchio-written and produced commercial will be shot early next month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “It’ll be the best one yet,” Wallace said. “There will be six or seven drivers in it, and maybe a surprise. It’s a real Hollywood production when we do it, and Karen pulls it all together and is still fun to work with.” Wallace said that despite being a wired, fun-loving person out of his car and in front of the TV camera, he’s all business behind the wheel.( Express Times )(1-23-2003)
