Conversation: Kenny Wallace

GLADEVILLE, Tenn. -- It's been a season of change for Kenny Wallace. And the next few years promise to bring even more changes.

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Wallace isn't a full-time driver this year in Nextel Cup, but always trying to break back in. He hopes to become a funny -- yet respected -- TV analyst when he retires.

NASCAR.COM's Ryan Smithson spoke with Wallace before the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville, where Wallace threatened to win before loose lug nuts cost him two laps.

Have you been happy with the show NASCAR Drivers 360 so far?

It's been a pleasant surprise. You know, the 360 show -- it just came out of thin air. What happens is -- Paul Brooks of NASCAR calls me.

Video Archive Feb. 2003: Kenny spends a day with NASCAR.COM at his home in Charlotte Play video

Him and Brian France headed it up before Brian France became the president (of NASCAR). I thought it would be really good because I always wanted to know in-depth about people that I see.

And when they showed me it, they said that we could edit out things we didn't like. So to me, it was a no-brainer. Me and Harvick jumped on it, nobody one else did, so we were the first ones who got into it.

It's been a pleasant surprise. Hell, I can't walk anywhere. I go into a Cracker Barrel or a 7-Eleven -- it's been the most notoriety I've ever had in my life. It's unbelievable the people that watch that thing.

For the people that can't see behind the scenes, how often are the cameras in your house, in your face, etc?

They are really good. They basically start out at the end of the day, around 6 at night, and say, "What are you going to do tomorrow?" and I will tell them what I am going to do, and they will ask if they can ride along, put the cameras in the car and the house and things like that.

The hardest thing to do -- and I think we are doing a real good job at it -- is pretending the cameras are not there.

And you know, especially the third episode that aired -- Bristol -- you can basically tell, you know, that it's an argument.

Me and Ashton Lewis cussing each other. You can't tell cameras are around. It's a great camera crew that I had. They made us feel real comfortable.

Do you get to see the episode before Friday at 10 o'clock (before anyone else)?

	Kenny (left) with Bill Davis

Yes. I will tell you what most people do not know. NASCAR monitors it incredibly. NASCAR will cut out things that I won't want cut out.

For example: Dick Trickle is a very good friend of mine. But I made fun of his name in an episode and NASCAR didn't like it. They cut it out. I thought it was funny. Yet, on the other hand, they left all the cussing I did (for the Bristol episode).

They beeped it out. It depends on what they want to show, too. NASCAR has basically got full control of it all.

Kenny, you are 40 years old. And there are a lot of drivers in their mid-40s who are going to be angling for a television job when they retire.

Right.

Do you feel any sense of urgency to secure one of those deals? Because, as Darrell Waltrip has showed, this is going to be something you're going to want to do.

I'll be very honest with you.

	Steve Hmiel (left) with Wallace

When Stacker 2 said they didn't want to run Cup, and the economy went to heck, and we only had 35-36 full-time Cup cars, I thought, you know, I still feel like I could run me some Cup years, but I knew I was not going to race on Sundays, and I thought, 'You know, I better get in here before my brother Rusty and Dale Jarrett and Ken Schrader.'

I've showed my loyalty to FOX. And I am good friends with them people and they are good friends with me.

The FOX people are great. The president, Ed Goren, Artie Kentner, the Director of FOX Sports. All those people are good people. I -- on purpose -- put myself in there because I am a lot younger than Dale Jarrett.

I am a lot younger than my brother Rusty and Ken Schrader. I want that career there when I am done racing.

So yes, basically, I pushed that button a little bit early. You know, for TV career, on purpose, trying to get myself in there.

In the same sense, you talked about running some (Nextel) Cup on Sunday, is it a definite that you are going to run some late in the year for Michael (Waltrip)?

Oh yeah. It's really funny. At Atlanta, we announced a five-race deal. And a lot of people think, "Oh, you're going to run more races for Michael."

	Michael Waltrip

So that press conference didn't make it to a lot of people's faces or ears. Yeah, we have four more races to run for Aaron's Lease. Daytona, The Brickyard, Bristol, Atlanta.

It's no secret Michael owns his own race team. He's a good friend of mine and I am very appreciative of everything he has done for me and I want to help him build his race team.

And he has got a lot of racing left to do too. He is no different than the late, great Dale Earnhardt. Michael is still running in the top-five every week but starting a race team also. It can't hurt but to help Michael and DEI.

You mentioned Michael. With all the stuff that came out about DEI last week, what kind of emotions is Michael going through right now?

I do not know. I just think it was very unfair to him. Anytime you have a driver that has won you two Daytona 500s in the last three years, you know.

The problem I have with the whole deal is that I am very good friends with Dale Earnhardt Jr. so I don't know -- it's none of my business. Let's put it that way. I felt very bad for him.

Your crew chief, Chris Rice, just walked in. Do you ever kid him about having the same hairline as you?

	Chris Rice

You know what? I am going to tell you something. I paid $13,000 for two hair transplants from Bosley.

And I am trying like heck to get them to sponsor me because I figure I have done a real good job.

I'd be bald in the middle of my head if it weren't for that. But, I don't know. Everyone else shaves their head. Maybe I just missed the boat. Maybe I should have just shaved my head.

Are you trying to become the Peter Jacobsen of NASCAR, where you can just imitate everybody?

You know, the greatest thing about our sport -- and I hear so may people talk about it -- is that there are so many characters in our sport.

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I am the type of guy who really likes Saturday Night Live. I really like Mad TV. Jokes do not make me laugh. What makes me laugh -- for example -- the things that make me laugh is when an airliner pulls up to the gate and the person in the 35th row stands up real fast. I am like, "Where are you going?"

And I just start laughing at little things like that. It's the people like Ward Burton. He don't even sound like his two brothers. Jeff Burton said (Ward) was born on the south end of the house. That's funny. That's a story.

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You know, Elliott Sadler, that incredible Emporia -- where the hell is Emporia, you know -- Virginia. Everybody makes so much fun about Virginia. It's a great state.

And Tony Stewart, just the greatest guy you ever want to be around, but when he puts that helmet on, you just need to run away.

All those things in our sport just make me laugh and they make everyone else laugh too, except I am the only one who can get on national TV and have fun with it. I am not making fun of him. I am laughing with him.

(NASCAR) is just great people. It's like Fat Albert.

Conversation runs every Monday at 3 p.m. on NASCAR.COM.