Biography of Rusty Wallace: Racing Legend

Russell William Wallace, Better Known as Rusty, was Born on August 14, 1956 to Russ and Judy Wallace

Russell William Wallace, better known as Rusty, was born on August 14, 1956 to Russ and Judy Wallace. Rusty is married to his wife Patti, and they have three children of their own- Greg, Katie, and Stephen.

The Career Of Rusty Wallace

Rusty grew up watching his father, Russ, become a championship racer in the Missouri area, and the rest of the Midwest region. His father’s success further inspired Rusty to ambitiously pursue a professional racing career of his own.

In 1973, at age sixteen, Rusty’s stock car career began at the Lakehill Speedway in Missouri. He would go on to claim the 1973 Central Racing Association Rookie of the Year award.

By winning over 200 feature stock car events over the next five years, Rusty’s career advanced in 1979 when he joined the USAC (United States Auto Club) Stock Car division. Rusty was the series rookie of the year in 1979.

His distinguishable success in USAC and ASA (American Speed Association) in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s incited interest from NASCAR team owners. In fact, Roger Penske permitted the young Rusty Wallace to drive his #16 Chevrolet at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he would stagger the NASCAR world with a second place finish. Rusty would drive a second race for Penske at Charlotte Motor Speedway where he finished a respectable fourteenth position.

Despite his impressive results, the early 1980’s era was a time when NASCAR owners were more engrossed with drivers of more experience and higher credentials instead of youth and potential. Rusty would compete in a handful of NASCAR races from 1980 to 1983 before finally hitting the circuit full-time in 1984 for car owner Cliff Stewart. Rusty would win the NASCAR Rookie of the Year that same season.