Steve Wallace to Race Daytona Sprint Race

The 2011 season is about to kick off with a bang for Steve Wallace, as he has been confirmed on the starting grid of US' most famous race, the Daytona 500. By debuting in the Sprint Cup, Wallace becomes the fourth member of his family to go around the Daytona oval.

Rusty Wallace Racing, for whom the driver will also race in the Nationwide Series, will be strapping the driver behind the wheel of the No. 77 Toyota. According to the team, the spot in the Daytona race wouldn't have been possible without Roger Penske giving up his place in the race. Penske isn't fielding any car in the Cup race due to the lack of sponsorship.

"We appreciate we were able to make some calls and pull it together so quickly," Rusty Wallace told NASCAR. "A lot of things had to come together just right. I'm beyond excited about it."

For the Sprint Cup race, the driver will be guided by crew chief Larry Carter, who has been with the team since last fall. The two men will be testing the way they work together on Thursday, at the Daytona track, with the car to be then subjected to wind test tunnels.

"Starting my first Daytona 500 is definitely going to be the most exciting day of my career -- make that my life - so far," Steve Wallace added. "It's something that every kid wanting to be a racer, including me, dreams of doing one day. It's some of the best drivers in the world competing in the biggest race in the world."