EVENT: CarQuest Auto Parts 250, 200 laps
TRACK: Gateway International Raceway, 1.25-mile paved oval
MEDIA: Television - TNN, 8 p.m.; Radio - MRN, 8 p.m.

WHAT A WEEKEND: The No. 25 Lance Snacks Chevrolet team is coming off its best finish all season in the NAPA AutoCare 250 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Driver Andy Santerre finished third to pump up the troops going into this weekend's race at Gateway.

WALLACE BACK: For the first time since late May at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Kenny Wallace will be back behind the wheel of the Lance Chevy. It will be Wallace's eighth start of the 2000 season. The Winston Cup Series, of which Wallace is a regular, has an off-weekend.

WALLACE RETURNS HOME: The St. Louis area native comes back to his home area, where he and brothers Rusty and Mike grew up and began their racing careers. Wallace raced at Gateway International Raceway a year ago with the No. 25 Team Rensi Motorsports team. He started the race in the 23rd position but actually led for three laps late in the race before problems in the pits relegated him to a 27th place finish.

WALLACE ON GATEWAY: "I've been looking forward to this trip for a while. Not only do I get to come back home, but I get to go to a racetrack that I really like and enjoy running on. We tested very well with this Lance Snacks Chevy and I think we've got a tremendous shot at winning this race. Hopefully we can qualify well and put the Lance car up front and into victory lane."

CREW CHIEF GREG ELY ON GATEWAY: "We're all really excited about going to Gateway for a multitude of reasons. First of all, we tested really well there recently. We unloaded the car and we never touched the car really at all. We played with a few different things but never turned a jackscrew the whole day. Second of all, we're coming off a great effort at Pikes Peak. The guys on the crew did a great job there.

FIRST TIME TOGETHER: The CarQuest Auto Parts 250 will mark the first time Wallace and Ely will have worked together as a unit during a race. Santerre has driven the car throughout the summer as part of the split duties between he and Wallace.

APPEARANCES: Wallace will be recognized on the field at Busch Memorial Stadium prior to the Major League Baseball game Wednesday night between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He will also make an appearance at the Fan Fest held Thursday night at the Casino Queen riverboat and Crown Hotel. The Fan Fest is scheduled for 4 p.m.-7 p.m. CST.

MAKE-A-WISH: Wallace will be on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Make-A-Wish Foundation on Saturday night prior to the CarQuest Auto Parts 250. Make-A-Wish Foundation decals have been made and have been requested to appear on each of the Busch Series cars this weekend.