Rusty Wallace
Rusty Wallace
Russell William "Rusty" Wallace, Jr.is a retired American racing driver, and a former NASCAR Winston Cup Champion. Considered one of racing's most well-known and charismatic personalities, he is a member of four of stock car racing's major halls of fame: the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. He also served as the...
ProfessionRace Car Driver
Date of Birth14 August 1956
CityArnold, MO
I've still got a pin in my wrist that's about 8 inches long from that accident. I got hurt at some racetracks a little bit, but never as bad as I got hurt at Talladega.
Sometimes bad things can bring on good things. This brought about a whole era of safety. It took something dramatic before they started thinking and looking out of the box.
I just lost it. I had a loose tire, a flat tire, and loose lug nuts. Bad night.
I'm really disappointed that Mark has been talked into running that extra year, ... The thing I feel bad about for Mark is that he and I have been out there getting all these accolades, and now Mark's having to say, 'It looks like I'm coming back.'
It was a good run, a real good run, ... We qualified really bad but got from the back up to the front and it turned out real good. It was just a long day, but I really had pretty smooth stuff all day long, only a couple of little things happened. The jack broke early but we got that right back. And then, at the end, I just, the lapped cars were really tough to get around on the get go and that got me way behind. Other than that, it was a good day.
I think by the end of the year, he'd have a lot of knowledge. He'd be up on the wheel and ready to go then.
I think a lot of people look at me as the favorite here, ... I kinda feel that when I come into this track. I've got a little extra step in my stride when I come into this track because I've been so successful here in the past.
Larry reminds me of my old buddy, Buddy Parrott, reminds me of what (Parrott) did for me and how many victories he helped me get, ... We're having fun again.
We got down into turn one and the 66 spun out right in front of me,
Restrictor plates you've got to rely on all the other drivers around you to make it happen, and that's hard to do. ... But I think the mile and a half tracks are perfect for this Chase.
I tell Steven all of the time that I want his head in the carburetor,
I tell you what, I gotta get one of these at home.
I think I make Steve a little nervous sometimes, so I'm going to be comfortable sitting in Homestead watching his race, off and on.
I think Larry is one of the most wonderful crew chiefs I've ever had in my life,