Darrell Wallace Jr., a development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and successful participant in NASCARs Drive for Diversity program, will run fulltime in the Truck Series in 2013. Wallace, 19, will drive for Kyle Busch Motorsports but remain under contract with JGR. Wallace would become the first African-American driver to run fulltime in one of NASCARs three national series since Bill Lesters last season in Trucks with Bill Davis Racing in 2006. Wendell Scott remains the only African-American driver to win a race in one of NASCARs three national series.Wallace made four starts in the Nationwide Series in 2012 with JGR and earned three top-10 finishes, including a career-best seventh at Iowa. He has six wins in the K&N Pro Series East since 2010, including one in 2012. ( Charlotte Observer ) (2-7-2013) UPDATE: It was confirmed this morning in a press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame that Wallace will be driving the full truck season for KBM. The conference included team owners Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs, NASCAR president Mike Helton, and Wallace as they announced he will be behind the wheel ofthe #54 Toyota. Jerry Baxter will serve as crew chief for Wallace through his rookie season. Wallace will remain under the JGR roster of drivers while running the 2013 season at KBM. JGR, which has deepened its relationship with KBM this season, was able to get enough funding from Toyota, Coca-Cola and some other sponsors still to be named to put Wallace in a truck for the full season. Wallace, who has never raced at a track bigger than a mile, will run the ARCA race at Daytona for Venturini Motorsports to gain NASCAR approval to race at Daytona later this month. (Sporting News) AND: Joe Gibbs Racing announces today that Darrell Wallace, Jr. will run a full season schedule in the Camping World Truck Series behind the wheel of the Kyle Busch Motorsports #54 Toyota Tundra. Last year, the 19-year-old made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut with four starts that included three top ten finishes and his first pole award at Dover International Raceway. Wallace spent three seasons competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East from 2010-2012. He would make history when in the first race of the 2010 season he became the Series youngest and first African American to win a race at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Wallace would also earn Series Rookie of the Year honors that season. (JGR PR) (2-9-2013) News from February 8, 2013
