hearing Kenny Wallace and the #78 Furniture Row team have parted ways effective immediately, no word who will drive the car at Michigan this weekend.(8-14-2007) UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing, a Denver-based Nextel Cup Series racing team, announced today that Kenny Wallace is stepping down as the driver of car #78. Officials for the team have stated that Wallace will remain with the team as a consultant and will be called upon to run races as needed, but that he will also be available to drive for another team. Joe Garone, Team Manager for Furniture Row Racing, said: “Kenny has been the perfect driver for us as we have looked to his veteran experience during our first year-and-half in the Cup Series. His personality has brought much positive exposure to the team and to Furniture Row Companies, the team¹s owner and sponsor. This has included winning the fan vote to participate in this year¹s All-Star Challenge events.” Looking at the remainder of this season, officials for Furniture Row Racing have said that they will be intensifying efforts to fine tune their performance in preparation for next season¹s run. Wallace added: “I’ve enjoyed my run as the primary driver for Furniture Row despite all the challenges of a new team. I look forward to helping them as they move forward in building a program that will be competitive for many years to come.”(Furniture Row Racing PR) UPDATE 2: been told that Scott Wimmer will drive the #78 at Michigan and hearing that Sterling Marlin will drive at Bristol, no word who will drive for the rest of the season.(8-14-2007) UPDATE 3: Kenny Wallace has a statement posted on his website – kennywallace.com: “I want all my fans to know that I am going to give them a very personal retrospective of the way I feel about not driving the #78 any more. Two years a ago I was asked to come to Denver, CO and visit the Furniture Row shop. When I arrived, there was not even a Cup car ready to race, so from that standpoint I am proud that I was able to bring the Furniture Row race team to where it is today. I have a lot of confidence in my ability and the #78 team has a lot of confidence in their ability. We have got to a point in the NASCAR Nextel Cup season that I can sense the aggravation for the teams outside the top 35 in points. I truly want everybody to know that although I know it hurts a lot of my fans, that I am relieved. The week-to-week pressure of trying to make the race is very grinding, and I also felt that if the team feels like there is a change to be made, it was fine with me. I really, really feel this way. I am not lying! Like I always remind everybody I am a racecar driver to go to these races and not be able to compete was very, very hard on me. I will take time to let everyone know in the NASCAR circuit that I would like to drive in either the NASCAR Busch Series, Nextel Cup Series or even the Craftsman Truck Series. I would also like to let everybody know that while I wait for another NASCAR ride you can probably find me at your local dirt track racing. I really want everybody to know that our team manager, Joe Garrone, and our team owner, Barney Visser, have been really good to me and that the decision to try another driver was based upon more or so the crew members within the team this is what I was told by Joe Garrone. Joe is a good guy and has always been very supportive of me. I want to thank my personal sponsors JEG’S, Bank of America, and everybody at Speed TV. I will end like this: Never fold your tent. For a face-to-face interview, I will be on NASCAR Raceday this Sunday. Please watch.”(kennywallace.com)(8-15-2007)
