While nearly three months remain before the start of the 2015 season, most drivers like to have their sponsorship lined up. Companies need to budget the millions of dollars it takes, so few solid deals come along in January. For a driver who has five career wins, including four in 2014, in the Camping World Truck Series and four top-10s in six starts in what will be the Xfinity Series next season, how much more does (Darrell ) Wallace have to do? ‘I’ll take what I can get,’ Wallace said. ‘I can only go out there and continue to run up front, lead laps, and win races.’ Wallace isn’t alone among young drivers scrambling for sponsorship or still trying to figure out their 2015 plans. Jeb Burton, who was left without a ride at the start of the 2014 season when sponsorship fell through but then landed a full-time truck deal with sponsor Estes Express Lines and ThorSport Racing, is waiting to hear if the sponsorship will be renewed next season.
In the week after the Homestead race, JGR officials had some meetings that they hoped would land more sponsorship for Wallace, the only full-time African-American driver in the three national series. ‘We’ve got some good stuff lined up for him for next year, so I think we’re going to wind up with a real good package for Darrell,’ Gibbs said.
If Wallace runs any truck races next season, it won’t be for the team he has driven for the last two years. Kyle Busch Motorsports has all its seats filled, so he would have to run for another Toyota team, either ThorSport Racing or Red Horse Racing.(Sporting News)
