Know your NASCAR: The Wallaces

September 14, 2001
4:43 PM EDT (2043 GMT)

St. Louis is known for many things, but famous race car drivers?

Absolutely, thanks to the Wallace brothers -- Rusty, Mike and Kenny. But it didn't come easy.

Russ Wallace, the father of the three boys, began the family's racing tradition as a legendary short-track driver in the Midwest.

"Racing has been a family deal for us and it's much more than just the three of us racing," Rusty said. "My dad, Russ, started it all. He was the king of all the tracks around St. Louis for years and won a ton of races and track championships. We owe it all to him because he's responsible for getting us all interested. We owe it to him and my mom for all the support through all these years."

Kenny Wallace

Kenny, the youngest of three brothers, echoed those thoughts.

"Dad was a hell of a driver," Kenny said. "He was hard to beat and he was one of the best drivers in his day."

Thanks to his parent's influence and support, Rusty made his debut as a driver in 1973 at Lakehill Speedway near Valley Park, Mo. By 1989, he was the NASCAR Winston Cup champion.

"I remember running on all the bullrings across the country, pulling our short-track car behind the converted bread truck we used as the team transporter back then," Rusty said. "Paul Andrews was my crew chief back then and my brother, Kenny, worked with us a bunch. When you look back at the roots we came from, it definitely is amazing what I have been able to accomplish in my career."

Rusty Wallace

Like his dad, Rusty made a name for himself in the Midwest by virtue of winning 200 feature races from 1974-'78. In 1979, Rusty moved up to the United States Auto Club Stock Car circuit and proceeded to be named the series Rookie of the Year.

Rusty's impressive resume caught the eye of renowned race car owner Roger Penske, who provided him with his first Cup ride at the March 16, 1980, race in Atlanta.

Rusty seized the moment, snaring a runner-up finish to Dale Earnhardt in the Atlanta 500. Later that season, he claimed a 14th-place finish in a Penske-owned car at Charlotte.

Mike Wallace

Those efforts got him in the Cup door but didn't exactly put him in the fast lane to fame as he competed in only seven Cup events from 1981-83.

In 1984, Rusty hooked up with owner Cliff Stewart and was in the Cup series fulltime to stay. His first year piloting a Stewart Pontiac was memorable, since he was named Cup's Rookie of the Year and came home 14th in the points.

After one more campaign with Stewart -- where he was 19th in points -- Rusty formed a partnership with famous drag racer Raymond Beadle. Rusty had an incredible five-year run with him from 1986-90.

He not only won 18 races, but also the prestigious Winston Cup crown in '89, a year after coming in second to Bill Elliott in the points chase. Still, Wallace's '89 title campaign had plenty of tense moments, namely the last race of the season -- the Atlanta Journal 500.

He came into the event needing just an 18th-place finish or better to be the sport's new king. Wallace overcame a multitude of problems to cross the finish line in 15th.

"No doubt, the November race in Atlanta in 1989 was my most memorable moment," Rusty said. "It was a squeaker, but we pulled out the championship for the year in that race. There have been a ton of race wins that stick out, but when you look at the big picture, you have to say that winning the '89 championship was the biggest deal yet."

When 1991 rolled around, Rusty and Penske became co-owners of the Miller Genuine Draft Pontiac, and he was 10th in points. Wallace and Penske are still together in 2001, entrenching themselves as one of the most consistent teams at the Cup level.

The numbers tell the story.

Since teaming up with Penske in '91, Rusty has won 36 races and been in the top 10 in points every season except '92. It is also worth noting that Rusty has won at least one Cup race every year since 1986.

"We have kept the winning streak going and that is very important," said Rusty.

Rusty's trek to stardom isn't lost on Kenny.

"Rusty was the one who took his racing talent out in the United States and became famous," said Kenny. "And, we owe a lot to him."

Mike agreed.

"The biggest thing Rusty did was that he proved to Kenny and I, that a kid from St. Louis can be one of the best drivers in the world," he said.

Although Rusty transformed himself into a Cup celebrity, he never forgot about his brothers.

"Well, Mike really went a different way than I did. He at first went racing on dirt and was one of the best in the Midwest before changing over to the asphalt," said Rusty. "I'd give him advice and help him however I could. With Kenny, that was a much closer deal.

"He actually traveled as part of my crew in my early years. When he decided to drive, I helped him all I could. He went ASA racing with help from John Childs, one of my biggest supporters back in the short track days. Then, when he decided to go Busch racing, we started up a team for him.

"It was Rusty Wallace Racing in the old Sabco shop over by the speedway across from Alan Kulwicki's old shop. We had enough success that he moved on to Cup from that."

Kenny's racing career began one night in 1982 at the Illinois Street Stock State Championship.

"I was always working on Rusty's car and helping out Mike," said Kenny. "So, I thought I would try to drive that night on the one-mile dirt track and I went out and won the son of a bitch."

Despite his success that evening, Kenny remained a crew expert -- until 1986.

That year, Kenny tried his hand behind the wheel of an American Speed Association car -- and it wasn't a waste of time as he was the ASA Rookie of the Year.

A mere three years later, Kenny won the same honor as the driver for Rusty's Busch Series team. In three seasons piloting Rusty's BGN entry, Kenny took two checkered flags was second in the '91 points standings to Bobby Labonte.

Actually in 1990, Kenny made his Cup debut driving for owner Randy Hope at Rockingham. Still, in '92, he was back in the Busch full-time and came in sixth for the season.

The next season, he jumped back up to Cup, competing a full season with owner Felix Sabates. Kenny's highlights included three top-10 efforts and a 23rd-place points standing.

The 1994 slate saw Kenny make 12 Cup starts for three different owners and then in '95 he also ran in 11 Cup events. From 1996-'00, Kenny was a regular in the Cup Series and in 1997 he won two poles at Bristol and Martinsville.

The 2001 season has been a strange one for Kenny, however. He began the season as the Cup driver for Eel River Racing, but left to drive for Busch Series owner George deBidart. Plus, he has also been an injury replacement driver for Steve Park in Winston Cup.

"It has been a really, really weird season for me," Kenny said. "I started the season with Eel River Racing and that was just not a good situation. But if you take away the first three months of the season I have a great year in the Busch Series and it was a dream come true to get a chance to fill in for Steve. And, I am just exploring my options for 2002."

While Rusty and Kenny were traveling to races, Mike was winning his share on Midwest dirt tracks.

"I really enjoyed racing cars on the dirt," said Mike. "It gave me a lot of knowledge on how to race cars and just made me a better driver."

By 1990, Mike was atop the Mid-America Region championship of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series. Two years later, Mike was in the Busch Series with Kenny and he garnered a 22nd-place points finish.

The next season, Mike moved all the way up to 12th in the BGN Series and he added 19th and 20th place showings in '94 and '95, respectively.

Then, in 1997, he ran 15 races for Ken Schrader's-owned NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. With Schrader again in '98, he was 13th in the points. Mike stayed in the NCTS in '99, but was with a new team in Ultra Motorsports.

That season, he won twice and came in sixth overall. Mike followed that up with a fourth-place effort in 2000, which included two more wins. With those achievements, Mike moved up with Ultra Motorsports to the Cup level in 2001.

"Ten years ago, I never would have thought, Rusty, Kenny and I would all be racing Winston Cup together," said Mike. "I always hoped it would happen when I was a kid and this is pretty cool."

The 2001 Cup campaign has been one of frustration for Mike and Ultra Motorsports and as such, he is searching for opportunities in 2002.

"I will not be driving the No. 7 Cup car next year," said Mike, who has three career Busch wins. "I will be doing something different. I will look at my opportunities in the Cup and Busch Series and then go from there."

No matter what happens in the coming months to Kenny or Mike, they both are proud of what the Wallace family has been able to accomplish in NASCAR.

"I feel a great sense of pride when I think about what we have done as a family," said Kenny. "Rusty has won over 50 Cup races and Mike and I have both been winners at every level of NASCAR competition we have been in."

Mike added, "I am very proud of what we have been able to do. It all started with my dad racing as a hobby and now we are in a small elite group of brothers, who make a living racing in Winston Cup. It is pretty incredible when you sit down and think about it."