Rusty Wallace's No. 2 Dodge team has some work ahead of it at Talladega. Credit: Autostock

Rough start for Rusty in restrictor-plate finale

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- This is Rusty Wallace's final restrictor-plate race, and a blown engine in qualifying will make it difficult for him to snap his well-publicized 0-for-71 shutout on the superspeedways.

Wallace's Dodge rolled off the truck fast on Friday at Talladega -- he was sixth-best in the opening practice -- but his motor never got up to speed when it came time to qualify.

	Wallace is winless in 71 restrictor-plate starts. Credit: Autostock
	Lineup UAW-Ford 500 Pos. Driver Make 1. E. Sadler Chevrolet 2. D. Jarrett Ford 3. R. Newman Dodge 4. T. Stewart Chevrolet 5. J. Nemechek Chevrolet Complete Lineup, click here Up in smokeWallace loses an engine in qualifying at Talladega Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

The motor problems were a speed bump in an outstanding streak for Wallace, who entered Talladega on the heels of an exceptional September that saw him close within seven points of the championship lead.

Instead, Wallace will start Sunday's Ford-UAW 500 from the 41st spot. He said it was the first engine he had lost all season.

"We had a legitimate shot at the pole and as soon as we fired it up and pulled out, I knew I was in trouble," said Wallace, who has just one top-five in 44 Talladega races. "The engine just welded itself shut. We got the oil way, way too hot, trying to go for that extreme horsepower."

Wallace badly wanted to win the pole because it would have minimized his chances to get caught up in someone else's mess.

"I think everybody looks at this race with concern. Anything can happen here," Wallace said. "It is always a probability. It's always someone else's doing. Let's just hope that doesn't happen."

The blown motor had an upside -- it happened in qualifying, and qualifying isn't vital at Talladega, where a driver can often go from mid-pack to the front in just a handful of laps. Still, Wallace admits the problem cost him valuable momentum as he chases his second title.

"I am not going to have tears in my beers, but it was a letdown because we had a good shot at the pole," said Wallace.

Wallace says he won't lie back on Sunday in a bid to avoid trouble at the 2.66-mile track.

"I can't do that, I have to drive that thing on up there and avoid all the problems," he said. "I am not concerned about starting in the back and getting my way to the front. This is the place you wanted to have a problem."