MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Darrell Wallace Jr. appreciates the seven decades of NASCAR history that Martinsville Speedway has helped to build, in part because he created one of those historical moments himself.

Wallace, a two-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the Virginia half-mile, scored the first NASCAR national series win by an African-American in nearly 50 years when he rolled into the Martinsville winner’s circle in October of 2013, building on the heritage and legacy that NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott first brought into the spotlight in the 1960s.

After three years in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which doesn’t race at Martinsville, Wallace has finally returned to the track that he calls home as a driver once again.

This time, however, he came through the gates as a member of the sport’s top-level fraternity.

“This is a place I fell in love with as soon as I got here,” said Wallace. “To be able to come back here in the Cup Series is a like homecoming for me. This is such a special place.”

Wallace is chasing his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win in this weekend’s STP 500, carrying the colors of the race’s title sponsor and hoping to taste success at arguably the most prolific track of his NASCAR career to-date.

He said Friday that his past wins in the Truck Series carried with them “special echoes” of the earlier stages of his journey and that many things he learned back then still apply now as he works through his rookie season at the Cup level.

“Man, those past wins translate a lot. They bring back some memories,” said Wallace. “It’s been three and a half years since I’ve even been here. We got in Thursday night about 10:30 and it was pitch black, but I just knew my way (around) like the back of my hand. It just sticks with you.”

“It’s so cool to be back. I love coming to this place. I’ve always had great success. It’s always good racing. And now that I’m here in the Cup Series … you’re at the top level, so you’re feeling all the nooks and crannies of what goes on and what these guys go for each and every day. I remember sitting on pit road; at the time, I was driving for Kyle (Busch), so I’d sit on his hauler and just watch the Cup guys. Now I’m actually driving a Cup car. So it’s a cool moment for sure, coming back here again.”

Wallace’s return to Martinsville doesn’t come without some pressure, considering his team owner – Richard Petty – has more Ridgeway grandfather clocks than any driver in NASCAR history with 15, as well as the fact that he’s driving Petty’s famed No. 43 with the iconic blue-and-red scheme that The King  made famous years ago.

But all of those factors are things that Wallace relishes, knowing what it would mean if he could add a Cup Series win at Martinsville to his resume.

“I’ll always say that Dover is my favorite place just because of how fun it is, but when you look at my stats here and how well we ran in the trucks … man, I haven’t stopped thinking about winning this race,” Wallace admitted.

“Everything that has gone on during the four races that I had here in the Trucks, it’s just one of those places that it just clicked for me. And to see the success that The King had and now the fact that we’re tied in all together here … it would be huge if we could put it all together.”

Huge would be an understatement if the rookie could notch his first-career win at the end of the STP 500, as he would become only the second African-American to ever win a Cup Series race in NASCAR history.

But Wallace’s excitement is understandable; in fact, it’s been almost four years in the making.

“For years I’ve wanted Xfinity to come here so we could have some fun and really do well, but I think the three-year break has helped and has prepared me more for this event,” Wallace said. “I’m just trying to be better and get the experience. (The Cup cars) are totally different handling and driving. The little bit that I remember of those weekends, it’s a night and day difference in the Cup car, for sure.”

“I’m so excited to just be here. No matter where we end up, I’m just pumped to be racing at Martinsville again.”

Due to a Saturday night snowstorm, the STP 500 will roll off Monday at 2 p.m. ET.