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
My racing career in California dates back to the late '70s when I was out here running the outlaw late model shows,
By the second day she was running laps a half-second faster than I had on the first day. Let me tell you something, she's fast. And if she couldn't drive, she wouldn't be in our car.
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.'
But I'll tell you this -- there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds. It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that.
It was twice as wild when I started, because when I started, there was no spoiler rule, ... Guys were running wide-open with only an eight-degree rear spoiler, and cars were out of control, sliding and spinning out, going in the air and flipping upside-down. It was just totally crazy.
Evidently, what they did was within the rules,
As an owner, he's been incredible at getting all five of his teams working together. And (if) one of them doesn't get along, he makes damn sure that he fixes that real, real quick.
I feel good -- I'm in the Chase and ready to run for the next 10 races,
Then, at the end, the lapped cars were really tough to get around on the restarts and that got me way behind,
I'm having better runs than I've had in a long time, ... I want to go out on top of my game, and I'm doing that right now.
I'll tell you, I never could have reported on this sport the way it needs to be reported without getting to drive this car.
As soon as I fired it up and pulled out, I knew I was in trouble. The engine just welded itself shut.
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.
I just think if you make a deal with a man, and he builds his program around you, then you need to understand that and you need to honor that,