Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Miller called up to Truck Series to replace Wallace

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005 | 9:10 a.m.

Schedule

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Friday

Noon -- Spectator gates open

Noon-12:45 p.m. -- Champ Car rookie practice

12:45-2:30 p.m. -- Champ Car practice

4:30-6 p.m. -- Champ Car qualifying

8-9:30 p.m. -- Champ Car practice

Saturday

9 a.m. -- Reserved seating gates open

9-10 a.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice

10:30-11:30 a.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series final practice

Noon -- Champ Car paddock opens to participants

2 p.m. -- General admission seating gates open

3 p.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying

4:15-4:45 p.m. -- Champ Car warm-up

6 p.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver introductions

6:15 p.m. -- NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Las Vegas 350 (146 laps, 219 miles)

7:45 p.m. -- Grid Champ Cars (infield)

8:30 p.m. (approximate) -- Champ Car World Series race (166 Laps, 400 km)

Joey Miller, who has won four races this season in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, is scheduled to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in Saturday night's Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Miller, 20, will replace veteran driver Mike Wallace in the No. 12 Toyota Tundra for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. Wallace has driven the truck for the past five races after replacing Robert Huffman last month.

"It really is a dream come true to be able to make my very first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start with a top team," Miller said. "I'm excited that Darrell Waltrip Motorsports and Toyota is allowing me to be part of their program."

Miller locked up second place in the ARCA RE/MAX Series by posting four victories, 12 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 22 starts this season.

"I've been watching Joey Miller in the ARCA Series and he's done a great job," team owner Darrell Waltrip said. "If he can come close to what he's done in ARCA in the Craftsman Truck Series, that would definitely be big for us."

Miller, who has never raced on the 1.5-mile LVMS oval, said he would rely on teammate David Reutimann to help him this weekend.

"Because I've never raced Vegas, it's good to have someone to talk to like David," Miller said. "David was a rookie last year, so he can relate.

"My goal is to come away with a solid finish. I've had a great year in ARCA after starting off strong at Daytona. All year, I've been running up front and finishing well ... (and) I'd like to transfer that success to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series."

Waltrip said he would drive the No. 12 truck in the series' next event, in October at Martinsville Speedway, and that Wallace would be back the following race, at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

MORE NEWCOMERS: Miller isn't the only driver who will attempt to make his Truck Series debut in Las Vegas. NASCAR West Series competitors David Gilliland and Burney Lamar and former Southern Methodist University quarterback Robert Richardson also will try to make the 36-truck field Saturday.

Gilliland will be behind the wheel of the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet, Lamar will pilot Kevin Harvick's No. 92 Chevy and Richardson will be in the No. 24 Mighty Motorsports Chevy.

AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS: Drivers from both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Champ Car World Series will take part in separate autograph sessions leading up to Saturday's "Double Down in the Desert" racing doubleheader.

All 18 Champ Car drivers, including reigning champion Sebastien Bourdais and Las Vegas residents Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser and Alex Tagliani, will sign autographs from 7-8 Thursday night at the ESPN Zone inside the New York New York Hotel and Casino.

Several of the top Truck Series drivers, including points leader Dennis Setzer and David Starr and Rick Crawford, will be among those signing autographs from 7-8 p.m. Friday on the Third Street Promenade, adjacent to the Lady Luck Hotel and Casino, at the Fremont Street Experience.

Both autograph sessions are open to the public and are free of charge.

BACK FOR MORE: Four former winners of the Las Vegas 350 will be in the field for the ninth running of the trucks at LVMS. Las Vegas native Brendan Gaughan (2003), David Starr (2002), Ted Musgrave (2001) and Jack Sprague (1996 and 1998) all are past champions of this event.

Last year's winner, Shane Hmiel, will not be back to defend his title because he has been suspended by NASCAR through 2006 after failing a second substance abuse test.