Kenny Wallace Totally Explained

Everything about Kenny Wallace totally explained

Kenny Wallace (born August 23, 1963) is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series driver who until recently drove the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet in Nextel Cup. He also works as an on-air personality for SPEED Channel, on shows such as NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane. He was also featured on the show on FX. He has two brothers who are also NASCAR drivers: Rusty Wallace and Mike Wallace, a nephew Steve Wallace, and a niece Chrissy Wallace.

Early career

Wallace is the youngest of three brothers, and racing was well known within his household before any of them were old enough to drive. Their father, Russ Wallace was a racer on the local dirt tracks, and won over 400 races during his career. Lake Hill Speedway track promoter Bob Miller noticed Wallace’s boisterous behavior and started calling him “Herman,” after a mischievous cartoon character named Herman the German.
Wallace's career began as a mechanic for oldest brother Rusty’s homegrown race team. They raced across the Midwest on the local circuits and in the American Speed Association ranks. After winning his first race in 1982, Wallace began embarking on his driving career. He joined the American Speed Association ranks in 1986, winning Rookie of the Year honors that year.

Early Busch Career

In September 1988, Dale Earnhardt gave Kenny the seat for his first-ever NASCAR start, in which he finished eleventh in the Busch Series race at Martinsville Speedway, driving the #8 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. The following year, Kenny raced the full Busch Series schedule in a car owned by brother Rusty, sponsored by Cox Treated Lumber earning the 1989 Rookie of the Year award and finishing sixth in driver point standings. In 1990, he made his Winston Cup debut at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the #36 Pontiac for Randy Cox, finishing 26th after a late-race crash. The following season, he won his first two career races and finished a career-best second in the points. subbed for Kyle Petty in two races in the Cup series. At the Pyroil 500, he competed against his brothers Mike and Rusty, marking the first time since Bob, Fonty, and Tim Flock raced that three brothers competed in the same race. In 1992, Dirt Devil became his sponsor and he won his third Busch race of his career, but several mechanical problems forced him down to sixth in points.

1993-2000

In 1993, Wallace moved up to the Winston Cup Series full-time, driving the #40 Dirt Devil Pontiac Grand Prix for SABCO Racing. He had three top-tens and a twenty-third place points finish, but lost his ride at the end of the season. He returned to the Busch Series to drive the #8 TIC Financial Systems Ford for FILMAR Racing. He picked up three wins and finished fourth in points. Towards the end of the season, he was hired by Robert Yates Racing to replace the injured Ernie Irvan in the Cup series. In thirteen races, he finished in the top-ten three times. In 1995, Wallace and FILMAR split time between the Cup and Busch Series. Wallace had one win with the Red Dog Ford in the Busch Series, and made eleven starts in the Cup Series in the #81 car.
Wallace and FILMAR began racing in Cup full-time 1996 with funding from Square D. They had two top-ten finishes and a twenty-eighth place points finish. The following season, he won two poles, at Bristol and Martinsville respectively, but fell five spots in the standings. Despite seven top-tens in 1998, Wallace and Square D left FILMAR to drive Andy Petree Racing's new #55 entry. Wallace finished in the top-ten six times and had a career-best twenty-second place finish in points. After only one top-ten in 2000, he departed the team. The sole top-ten came in his second place finish to Dale Earnhardt, in the then Winston 500(nowUAW Ford 500) which was Earnhardt's final victory. Wallace pushed Earnhardt to the front in four laps to the lead.

2001-Present

In 2001, Wallace signed with the unsponsored Eel River Racing team, and also was hired to drive the #48 Goulds Pumps Chevy in the Busch Series full-time for Innovative Motorsports. After several DNQ's, Wallace resigned from the team to concentrate on his Busch ride. He won his first race in seven years at North Carolina Speedway and finished tenth in points. He also filled in for Steve Park in the Cup Series, winning one pole and nailing down two top-tens, including a second-place finish at Rockingham, North Carolina, tying a career best. He didn't win in 2002, but moved up to seventh in the standings. He was hired late in the season by Bill Davis Racing to drive the #23 Sara Lee Dodge, and was hired to drive the car full-time in 2003. After one top-ten finish, Wallace and the team moved down to the Busch Series in 2004, garnering ten top-ten finishes. He also drove in the Cup Series four times for Michael Waltrip Racing.
   In 2005, Davis Racing closed its Busch team, allowing Wallace and sponsor Stacker 2 to join ppc Racing's #22 Ford, earning five top-fives. He began driving for Furniture Row Racing in the Cup Series that season, and ran seventeen races with them in 2006. After four top-tens in 2006, Furniture Row began racing full-time in Cup, forcing Wallace to leave ppc.
   In 2007, the bright spot of his season was getting voted into the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. But Kenny had to battle for a top 35 spot to be locked into a race for a while. He was never able to get the car into the top 35 in points, so after Watkins Glen in 2007, Kenny Wallace stepped down as the driver of the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet. On August 22, 2007 it was announced that he'd fill in for Kyle Petty in the 45 Wells Fargo Dodge at Bristol. No word on his plans for the rest of 2007 and beyond. Kenny drove as a sub for the injured Ricky Rudd in the #88 Snickers Ford Fusion Rudd returned. Kenny's brother Mike drove the car at Talladega. After Talladega, Rudd came back to the #88 ride.
   Wallace attempted to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500 in a second car for Furniture Row Racing, the #87 Denver Mattress Chevrolet. Wallace finished eighth in the first Duel at Daytona, making the 50th Daytona 500. Kenny announced on Jan. 25 that he'd signed a one-year deal with Fitz Motorsports to drive a Dodge for the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. Wallace made the announcement at the St. Louis Auto Show while announcing the title sponsorship of the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway.
   Kenny and Armando Fitz announced on February 7, 2008 that Kenny will be driving in the Nationwide Series in the #36 Shark Energy Drink Dodge Full-Time in 2008. Wallace has announced his support for presidential candidate Ron Paul and plans to race with Ron Paul logos on his car.
   His 2008 season started poorly, as he was black flagged in the Daytona 500 for failure to maintain the NASCAR-required speed.
   Kenny Wallace and the #36 Shark Energy Drink team parted ways on March 18, 2008. Kenny has announced that he'll drive the #28 Border Patrol Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing.

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