Bubba Wallace will make his first start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) since September of 2017 on Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway (MIS). Wallace is hopping in the No. 61 AISIN Toyota Supra with the HRE team for the organization’s fourth NXS start of the season as Austin Hill focuses on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs at World Wide Technology Raceway. Wallace has 136 races worth of NASCAR Cup Series experience under his belt and will look for his second-career victory in Michigan’s Irish Hills after capturing a Camping World Trucks checkered flag at MIS in 2017.
Rekindle Michigan Magic … When the green flag drops on Saturday afternoon, Wallace will be one of the most experienced wheelman in the field at MIS. Since making his first Cup Series start midway through the 2017 season, the Mobile, Ala. native has amassed seven premier series starts at the two-mile tri oval, including a ninth-place result last August. He has shown plenty of magic in Michigan, including the Camping World Trucks win in 2017 and a top-10 in his most recent NXS start at MIS (2016). He’ll look to rekindle that success in his first start with HRE on Saturday afternoon.
Chassis Selection … Crew chief Dave McCarty and the AISIN team have prepared chassis No. 003 for Wallace out of the HRE stable. This Supra most recently competed at Nashville Superspeedway in June where Hill drove to a ninth-place finish. Chassis No. 003 also finished ninth at Darlington Raceway last September with Hill at the controls.
Tune In … NBC Sports Network will carry live coverage from MIS starting with Countdown to Green at 3:00 p.m. ET followed by the green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET. Stay connected with the No. 61 AISIN team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook.
Bubba Wallace Quote:On making his first NXS start of 2021 with HRE:“I’m excited to race again in the Xfinity Series. Michigan is a track where I’ve run well in the past and even won in the Truck Series. Anytime we can get extra track time, it helps. Just to get extra laps before the Cup race on Sunday will be good with no practice or qualifying. Thanks to everyone at HRE and Toyota for the opportunity to run the AISIN Supra this weekend. Hopefully we can go out and have a strong race and put ourselves in contention at the end of the day.”
HRE PR
