LITE CONVERSATION

Rusty Wallace headlines Walmart Miracle Challenge at MMS

JW Martin

Rusty Wallace walked into the VIP suites at Motor Mile Speedway ready to go to work.

It was Friday night, and Wallace was scheduled to make an appearance at the Radford oval in support of the Walmart Miracle Challenge, a charity race taking place the next day.

But Wallace wasn’t there to compete. Dressed casually in blue jeans and a collared shirt, the 1989 Winston Cup Series Champion was headlining the preliminary party to commentate.

“We wanna support the Children’s Miracle Network tonight, and I want to thank the speedway for hosting it, and Miller Brewing Company,” Wallace began.

When I retired from driving that car, I signed a long-term personal service contract with Miller, so they still send me free beer and they let me come talk.”

Conversation consumes the NASCAR legend these days. In 2005, Wallace retired from competition after a 25-year career in the sport’s pinnacle division. But although the Fenton, Missouri, native resigned from racing, he did not steer away from the sport. One year later, Wallace traded in the wheel for a microphone when he joined ESPN as a lead analyst and commentator.

T.V. personality is just one of the many hats Wallace wears as a retired racer. Aside from his on-air duties, he is the owner of several car dealerships and one Nationwide Series team. He is credited with the creation of Iowa Speedway, and he is currently a designer for Riverside Motorsports Park, a 1200-acre family entertainment venue located in California. Finally, his contract with Miller Brewing Company denotes him as a spokesman obligated to do a certain amount of public appearances, just like the Walmart/Miller Miracle Bash held October 17.

But while Wallace is enjoying his current endeavors, it’s his old occupation he likes -and misses- most.

“People ask me all the time, do you miss driving?” Wallace continued. “And I got to tell you, I miss the heck out of it.”

Rumors and Reality

“There was a rumor a couple of weeks ago that I was coming back. And I almost talked myself into it when I heard the rumor,” Wallace joked in his speech.

Wallace was referencing a rumor that surfaced late last month started by his brother, Kenny. In an article posted on the SPEEDtv.com website on September 30, the youngest of the three Wallace siblings gave a two-page expose outlining the probability that the flagship driver of the Wallace contingent could return to the cup series in 2009.

Kenny wrote in the article that “[Rusty] pulled the plug on his NASCAR career a year or two too early and he knew it six months after he quit.” He also mentioned the success of two current veteran racers, Jeff Burton and Mark Martin, noting Martin’s 2009 comeback and the effect it’s had on Rusty. Kenny believes he could be successful, the only aspect of the story that Rusty affirms.

“In my mind, I think I can. It’s another story gettin’ on the racetrack and see if I really can- I believe I can get right back into winning in probably two weeks,” Wallace said.

Rusty denied the rumor a day later on October 1, and he did so again Friday night. Asked if he would ever return to one of the top three NASCAR sanctioned series;

“Nah, not right now,” Wallace replied.

Kenny, however, doesn’t buy it.

“…he is definitely considering stepping back into a race car,” Kenny wrote.

A Speech for a Cause

The party held Friday night was the precursor to the third annual Walmart Miracle Challenge, a race that benefits the Children’s Miracle Network. Transformed into a road course with hairpin turns dictated by old tires, the .416-mile track catered to Grand-Prix style racing Saturday.

This year, Motor Mile Speedway was one of only two tracks to host the Walmart Miracle Challenge. The other venue was Richmond International Raceway, a staple venue on the cup circuit.

The party was an effort to raise money for the local affiliates of the Children’s Miracle Network, with all proceeds from a silent auction containing autographed memorabilia donated to the organization. The money raised will go toward financing vital medical equipment for the hospitals of the CMN.

And of course, there was Rusty Wallace.

After his keynote address, Wallace signed autographs for everyone in attendance, taking pictures with fans and even receiving a phone call from a relative of a gentleman at the event.

Personable and polite, Wallace spent over an hour mingling with the crowd. It was a scene the 52-year-old has become accustomed to. But for fans at the event, seeing their favorite driver sitting in something other than a racecar was a setting some haven’t gotten used to.

Apparently, Wallace isn’t either.

“I’m not over that yet,” Wallace said.