Wallace to serve as lead analyst for ABC/ESPN

Networks begin full coverage of NASCAR events in 2007

Rusty Wallace believes that being in the broadcast booth is something he was born to do. Starting this season, he'll get to do it for a living.

Inside the Numbers Rusty Wallace's Cup career Year Starts W T5 T10 1980 2 1 1 1 1981 4 0 0 1 1982 3 0 0 0 1984 30 0 2 4 1985 28 0 2 8 1986 29 2 4 16 1987 29 2 9 16 1988 29 6 19 23 1989 29 6 13 20 1990 29 2 9 16 1991 29 2 9 14 1992 29 1 5 12 1993 30 10 19 21 1994 31 8 17 20 1995 31 2 15 19 1996 31 5 8 18 1997 32 1 8 12 1998 33 1 15 21 1999 34 1 7 16 2000 34 4 12 20 2001 36 1 8 14 2002 36 0 7 17 2003 36 0 2 12 2004 36 1 3 11 2005 36 0 8 17 Totals 706 55 202 349

Wallace, who climbed out of his No. 2 Dodge for the last time at the end of the 2005 Nextel Cup Series season, was introduced Wednesday as the lead auto racing analyst for ESPN and ABC Sports.

His first assignment will be on-site at the Daytona 500 for ESPN's SportsCenter coverage with host Chris Fowler.

Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR champion, will be the ESPN and ABC Sports lead Nextel Cup and Busch Series analyst when the networks return to televising NASCAR in 2007. This year he will report from at least 20 NASCAR races for SportsCenter, and will be an analyst for the 2006 IRL IndyCar Series season, including the Indianapolis 500.

Additionally, Wallace, whose 25-year career included 55 Cup wins, will serve as analyst for ESPN2's upcoming daily motorsports series.

"This is a dream come true for me," Wallace said. "ESPN's been around for ever and ever and they helped build this sport -- NASCAR.

"I love talking about the sport and I love educating people about the sport. That's what I really want to do.

Wallace said he signed a six-year deal with the network.

"We're extremely proud that our first new on-air hire, following the announcement that NASCAR is returning to ABC Sports and ESPN, is that of the legendary Rusty Wallace," said Norby Williamson, ESPN's executive vice president, studio and remote production. "Rusty earned the respect and admiration of fellow drivers and fans with his engaging personality and unquestioned racing ability, attributes that will continue to entertain race fans."

Williamson added that no other on-air decisions have been made concerning ESPN/ABC's NASCAR coverage.

The two current driver/analysts covering NASCAR on the network level, Darrell Waltrip for FOX and Wally Dallenbach from NBC/TNT, couldn't be more different. As for how Wallace will fit in there, he said fans can expect a no-nonsense approach.

"I'm not going to be merciless," Wallace said. "I'll try to get the good stories. I think I know the right questions to ask," Wallace said. "I want to educate people and really get inside their head."

He said a lot of people currently covering the sport ask the wrong questions or phrase them the wrong way.

"Drivers don't mind being asked what's wrong," Wallace said. "But they don't want to be asked what's wrong and how to fix it.

"If they knew that, they wouldn't be in the spot they're at."