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 looked at the race track for the first time, and I thought, 'Oh my gosh. I can't believe the size of this thing. It's amazing,'
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.
I just lost it. I had a loose tire, a flat tire, and loose lug nuts. Bad night.
I just got in the car for some verification. And that's the thing as a dad that I can do. I can get in it and drive it and say 'Ok it is doing this' or 'This is what you're feeling Steve' and just try to help his learning curve.
I had the restart, which was all I could do,
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.
Then, at the end, the lapped cars were really tough to get around on the restarts and that got me way behind,
I don't know if I will or not. We'll just have to wait and see. I don't have the answers to that yet.
I don't know if I'd have done it, but I sure do understand the reaction. I hope Ryan learns from this mistake. He can't just go out there and rough these guys up, whether it's a mistake or not. Guys are tired of hearing it's a mistake.
He ran really, really good. I was driving my guts out, and he was right there with me.
I'd rather win one, ... It would sound a heck of a lot better.
I ask myself why would I retire and its because I don't like running 36 races. I hate running 36 races. I don't like being away from home that much.
I feel like broadcasting is my calling. I knew when I retired this is what I wanted to do. I feel like I am well educated on the cars, NASCAR, the whole industry.
I'm driving better than I have in a long, long time, ... so it does make you think twice. But on the other hand, I've made the right decision. I want to go out on the top of my game, and I'm doing that right now.