BROOKLYN, Mich. – The August 19-21 race weekend at Michigan International Speedway will be one of emotional goodbyes, but also exciting new beginnings for Rusty Wallace and his family. Rusty, will be making his 44th and final start in the August 21, GFS Marketplace 400, while son Stephen Wallace will make his superspeedway debut during the August 19, ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200.
In preparation for the special weekend at MIS, both Wallace’s visited the 2-mile oval on Wednesday, August 3 for an ARCA RE/MAX Series testing day, where Rusty took to the wheel first to shake down the car, but quickly gave the wheel to son Stephen. The now 17-year old Wallace didn’t take long to get up to speed, and turned a lap time of 40.20 on just his third lap, while eventually running a time of 40.10 during the morning session.
“I drove the car and really bombed one lap off and ran pretty quick,” said Rusty. “My lap time was 39.80. I told Stephen to take it nice and easy. I don't care if it takes all day long to get comfortable. On his third lap, I looked and saw 40.20. He has never been on the track before and I said ‘Oh boy, here we go’. We’re here preparing and doing some race runs and qualifying runs and hopefully coming away from this day with some confidence. Our goal today is just getting up to speed, make some changes, and don’t put dents in anything. It’s important to have a good, clean race on August 19.”
With both drivers competing on the same weekend, nearly everyone in the Penske Racing South and Rusty Wallace Inc. organizations are excited about the upcoming race weekend at MIS.
“It’s going to be tough weekend emotionally. I’m going to be here with Stephen on Wednesday night before the race and all day on Thursday. Nearly the entire #2 team is going to be here to support him,” said Rusty. “The whole family will be here. It will be a great time. We don’t dare leave the racetrack because we have so much racing going on that weekend. We’ve got Stephen in the ARCA car, my Busch car will be here and my Cup car will be competing. It’s going to be a big weekend and I’m excited about it.”
Stephen shared his father’s enthusiasm about racing during the same weekend at MIS.
“It’s a lot different racing at these big tracks like Michigan. It’s wild. This is by far the biggest track I will have raced at,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing my dad race in his final event at MIS. Hopefully we can both be successful that weekend. My goal is to win at Michigan for my Dad and Roger Penske (who is supplying the car for Stephen in the race).”
After a distinguished career in the NEXTEL Cup Series, Rusty will retire with over 55 career victories and one series championship (1989). Despite his success, which also includes five victories at MIS, Rusty is still preparing for retirement, which will enable him to prepare Stephen for what he hopes is a successful stock car racing career.
“Maybe I’m retiring a year too early. I’ll be moving out of racing 100 percent at the end of the year when he’s starting his career,” he said. “I would like to have still been racing, so I could feed important things to him. But, it’s gonna work out. I’m real proud of Stephen. When I retire full-time, I’ll get to work with him a lot, which I’m looking forward to.”
With his father at his side, Stephen has a lot to look forward to in his career. However, he needs to take things one step at a time. No one expects him to fill his father’s shoes, who will achieve 200 top-five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup finishes during his next finish at the top of the field.
“I think we’ll run around 10 ARCA and 10 Busch races next year. Hopefully we can make it to the Cup circuit a few years down the road,” Stephen said. “It’s pretty amazing that my dad almost has 200 top-five finishes, seeing as I don’t have any! It would be great if I could get a top five at Michigan.”
Rusty agrees with the fact that Stephen doesn’t need to rush into a Cup career quite yet. Hopefully a few more ARCA races, mixed with a good NASCAR Busch Series schedule may be a better pace for his son, who will turn 18-years-old just one day before he races at MIS on August 19.
“We’ll have Stephen run a few more races this year and a few ARCA and Busch races next year. Hopefully we can get him running a full Busch Series schedule two years from now,” Rusty said. “I’m trying to pull the reigns back on Stephen a little bit. I’m trying to shortcut him a little bit. I didn’t have anybody to shortcut things for me. I never had a Dad that was a Cup driver who explained to me the things you have to do in racing, but I’m glad I can be here for him.
For Rusty, his historic career is coming to an end soon, however, a new chapter in his life will begin.
“We have many years ahead for my son’s development. I’m going to be real busy with Stephen’s development after I retire. My wife thought we were going to spend more time together after retirement, but now she’s like ‘here we go again!” Wallace joked.
Like Father, Like Son Part Two:
Stephen Wallace wasn’t the only driver participating in the ARCA RE/MAX Series test session with a famous race car driving father, or driving for a NEXTEL Cup affiliated team.
Kraig Kinser, son of World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser took laps around the 2-mile oval in a MBV Motorsports prepared car, the same team the fields NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series entries for Joe Nemechek and Scott Riggs.
Kinser is also expected to make his ARCA RE/MAX debut in the August 19 Hantz Group 200 at MIS.
“Coming to Michigan it’s a totally different feel than what I’m used to with a little bit more speed and a lot bigger track. So it’s like starting all over again,” Kinser said Wednesday. “It’s been nothing but great working with them (MBV). There are giving me good feedback and encouragement and teaching me the best that they can. They won’t hurry me along, but they won’t push me either. It’s going to be a challenge and I’m looking forward to getting that first race under my belt.”
Tickets are still available for the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on Friday August 19, featuring Stephen Wallace’s superspeedway debut. Seats are also still available for the Saturday, August 20 NASCAR Busch Series race featuring a post-race concert by Josh Turner and Sugarland. Tickets are available by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010 or by logging on to www.MISpeedway.com
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