Future of NASCAR could be in offspring of current stars (cont'd)

Grooming the SOT (Star of Tomorrow)

And the talent scouts are already watching.

Good news for 19-year-old Chrissy Wallace, as her preferred future depends on it.

Tyler Green

The 19-year-old daughter of Busch series driver Mike Wallace and niece of Cup driver Kenny Wallace and retired Cup champion Rusty Wallace, turned down a full-ride softball scholarship to go racing in hopes of becoming the first successful female in the Cup series.

Wallace said she has discussed options with two NASCAR teams, Roush-Fenway Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, although nothing is panning out completely. Like in the big leagues, sponsorship is an issue.

For the time being, Wallace is content to focus on her career in Legends and Late Model Stocks. This year driving for Robert Hamke, Wallace has posted two victories at Hickory Motor Speedway. Her first win came last month making her the first female driver to win a Feature Division-Late Model Stocks event in the track's 57 year history.

And as if having a complete NASCAR family tree to seek advice from wasn't enough, Wallace also has two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart in her corner helping her with sponsorship.

"He calls me a good bit, supporting me," Wallace said. "He's always telling me if I get wrecked, don't get down on myself. Go back out there with a grudge next week and run better."

Hot on her heels is little brother Matt Wallace, 11, driver of the No. 4 in the Fisher-Price Bandolero.

Watching his uncles and father race the NASCAR circuit is "neat," but he clearly idolizes big sister Chrissy and watches her every move inside the garage.

"I watched my sister grow up in racing and figured I wanted to do it. I wasn't really any good the first two years, but this year we've stepped up the program and ran in the front," he said.

Spoken like a true Wallace. His uncle Kenny is a commentator for SPEED and his uncle Rusty is a commentator for ABC and co-hosts the reality TV show NASCAR Angels.

"No one told me I had to go racing," added Matt. "It's in the Wallace blood so I like doing it. The Wallaces like going fast, so that's what we gotta do."

Tyler Green echoed those sentiments and is accelerating his potential NASCAR career on all levels.

The 18-year-old recently enrolled into a community college in North Carolina to study motorsports management, he is a part-time driving instructor for the Richard Petty Driving Experience and is a spotter for his father, Mark Green, who competes in the Busch series.

"I love it," Tyler said. "Racing is something that everybody in my family does. It's a way of life."

Green, who started racing go-karts at age seven, hopes to move up to Late Model racing or race an ARCA car and then make the leap to NASCAR.

But his father is standing close by to make sure he doesn't get ahead of himself and takes advantage of the right opportunity.

"Sometimes agents come out here and promise young kids the world, I know the traps so they are less likely to try and slide anything past us," Mark said. "We are going to ease into it. He's good enough to keep progressing, he'll get an opportunity."

Regardless of how any racers' opportunity unfolds, Busch advises up and comers to know their equipment and be willing to get their hands dirty.

"Lots of kids just want to show up and race," said Busch, who mentors young drivers as part of his Super Late Model team. "You want to have a kid that works on his or her own car and builds it and understands the dynamics. That's how Kurt [Busch] and I learned; to this day I still work on my own car."

Family Bonding

For families steeped in the history and tradition of racing, much like the Blaney, Wallace and Green families, the track is the next best thing to home.

Lisa Blaney is at a track as much if not more than a NASCAR driver supporting her two children as well as her husband Dave. She looks forward to Tuesday nights at LMS because her family is all in one spot.

Inside the garage, she has prepared a lavish spread of fresh fruit and vegetables for Emma, Ryan and Dave.

"We all look forward to Tuesday nights," she said. "Having your kid involved in something whether it's racing or not is a huge asset to their development and when the parents are involved it's that much better."

Tyler Green, a Summer Shootout veteran, especially enjoys having his family in the pit area. Who wouldn't when your uncles are Busch series champs David and Jeff Green.

"Racing creates a special bond among me, my dad and my uncles because it's something we can share together," said Green, a championship contender in the Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club Legends Pro division. "If it wasn't for racing, we wouldn't have that connection."

It's a connection his father Mark is grateful for.

"It's hard now to give up racing," he said. "Tyler gives me something to look forward to after I've eased up on the NASCAR circuit."