Conversation: Rusty Wallace

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Rusty Wallace is a bit out of sorts, having gone nearly two years without a Winston Cup Series victory after winning at least once for 16-straight seasons.

Despite several near-miss efforts, he's not won since April 2001 - a span of 71 races.

	Rusty Wallace's No. 2 is now a Dodge. Credit: Autostock

He's concerned that the newer generation of fans fails to realize he's a former champion and 50-race winner, but he's bound and determined to prove he's not yet made his last visit to Victory Lane.

Between Happy Hour practices last weekend at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace took a few moments to converse with NASCAR.com's Marty Smith about streaks, lines and the girls in commercials.

You told me a few weeks back that the winless drought had begun to wear on you and your guys. Do you ever worry that you've won your last race?

Ohhh no. I never do worry that I've gotten my last win. I don't. If I though it was the last win I'd say, "Well, this isn't working," you know? I'd make some big changes or something.

Right now it's not the last win. We had so many close calls at victory last year -- six that I know of -- and this year, my God, the run we had at Rockingham and how good that car's been all throughout the year leads me to believe that victory is right around the corner.

So I'm not quitting. But it is a little frustrating that I haven't got there, to be on this long a dry spell.

	Rusty Wallace says his brother Kenny, right, is full of energy. Credit: Autostock

You're a 50-race winner, but California will mark two years since your last win. Do you every worry that new fans to the sport don't grasp what a successful career you've had?

Oh yeah, I do at times, because the David Pearsons, Bobby Allisons, Cale Yarboroughs -- some of the greatest drivers in the world -- there are some guys that don't even know who they are. I'm not even sure my teammate Ryan (Newman) has heard of some of them.

Have you noticed a difference in fan support?

The fan support is different, that's for sure. It's changed a lot. One good thing about it, though, they're still hungry for good racing.

You've been doing this for 20 years, man, and achieved a lot along the way. Does any particular accomplishment stand out for you?

Well, I'll tell you what, that 1989 championship was a big accomplishment. The Winston was another accomplishment. A lot of great ones, man. Those nine wins at Bristol were a lot of fun, and I look back now and it should have been 12 or 13 of 'em.

How has Winston Cup changed during your career?

Winston Cup has changed so much. With television, radio, the schedule, more races -- when I started racing it was 28 races back in 1984, now it's 36. It's just nuts right now."

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I was over at Kenny's house here a while back and saw a picture of you, Mike and him with huge, curly afros. Where did all that hair go, man?

We just had to get up with the times nowadays (laughing). Used to be you could do whatever you wanted, but now with the sponsors and the way life's changed, man those hairdos would look way funny right now.

Speaking of Kenny, that guy's insane. What's wrong with him?

He's just full of energy, no doubt about that. Twenty-four hours a day he's always thinking about something, always wanting to do something. He wants to be the biggest practical joker out there. I think, honestly, that attitude has made him as popular as he is.

Have you met those wrestling Miller Lite girls from the commercial yet?

Naw, I haven't. But I'm gonna meet them here in a couple weeks.

As far as sponsors go, you hit the jackpot -- beer, Harleys and cruise ships. How did you get so lucky?

I'm just hanging out with the right people, no doubt about that, between cruise lines and beer people.

Ryan Newman is one of the most impressive young talents to come into Winston Cup in years. You found him. How did that come about?

I really didn't find him, to tell you the truth. I just own the team -- Roger Penske, Don Miller and I do. He drivers for us. Don Miller and Roger found him somewhere, sprint car racing or dirt car racing, and I said 'Ryan who?' and they proved to me real quick who it was. We had a number of different drivers we were going to have run our second-car team. Ryan's name came up and he's absolutely been the right decision."

	Rusty Wallace said it didn't take long for him to see Ryan Newman's talent. Credit: Autostock

NASCAR has been accused of favoritism. Have you ever experienced any instances of that?

No. I never have. Seems like there's a lot of that, but when you dig real deep I don't guess there is. It just seems like it is.

What's your take on the yellow line rule? Gentleman's Agreement?

Wallace: The yellow line rule is the yellow line rule -- if you go below it, you get busted. There should be no wavering whatsoever, and there was a guy last week that went below it. A lot of controversy over that.

That was a really, really tough deal because everybody saw it on television. I like Dale Jr., nice kid, I compete with him with the beer cars there's no doubt about that, but hey, I'll tell you one damn thing, if that 2 car would have went below that yellow line I'd have been in trouble.

Gentleman's Agreement?

I'm all for the Gentlemen's Agreement, racing back to the caution. That's right. If a driver wants to give another driver his lap back, that's fine. But far as racing back to the caution, I think the Gentleman's Agreement is the right thing to do.

We've never had a problem with that in our life, except for one time. The biggest controversy we've got right now is that yellow line thing, and NASCAR's told us a thousand times there's no tolerance. That was a big one last week.

Any ideas on what can be done about that?

It's over. I'm not going to say anything about it. I was trashed and out of the race. It didn't affect me. But I'll tell you what, if I was second I'd still be talking right now.