Dickies 500 - Rusty Wallace Notes

RUSTY WALLACE TEXAS NOTES, QUOTES, NEWS & VIEWS

-Miller Lite Dodge Driver Says Texas Racing Will Be Chassis Man's Ultimate Challenge-

JUSTIN, Texas (Nov. 1, 2005) - Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace says that Sunday's Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway will be the biggest test of the three races remaining for 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season when it comes to hitting on the right setup.

"Just like people have said in the past about Charlotte (Lowe's Motor Speedway), Texas may just be the most temperature sensitive track that we race on now," said Wallace. His involvement in an early-race accident at Atlanta left him eighth in the point standings with only the races at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead remaining on his "Rusty's Last Call" tour. "I was testing my grand national car out there last week and that's something that I really picked up on - just how sensitive the track surface has become.

"Eddie (TMS president Eddie Gossage) and I were talking the middle of last week and he brought it to my attention that this weekend's race out there will most likely be ending under the lights," said Wallace, who now trails points leader Tony Stewart by 257 points. "When I tested there the beginning of last week, we were still in daylight saving time and we lost that extra hour of sunlight over the weekend. When you see that the race has a 2:10 p.m. local start and it's getting dark around 5:00 p.m. there now, they will definitely be turning the lights on before the end of the race.

"We've never raced there in October before and with the late start, it looks like it's shaping up to be another race like Charlotte where the race starts in the heat of the day and ends under considerably cooler conditions. It looks like it'll be a chassis man's ultimate challenge - finding a setup that works at the beginning of the race and is adjustable enough to stay on top of the track changing like we expect it to.

"I've been talking about the situation with Larry (Carter, crew chief) and Derek (Stamets, team engineer) and we already have some ideas about what we'll need," Wallace concluded.

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Thank goodness it wasn't a case of first impressions being lasting impressions for Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace and his feelings toward the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway.

"Texas has become one of my favorite tracks," Wallace admitted, when asked to compare the track with the others on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup tour. "It may have started off a little slow, but it's one of the best stops and biggest races on the circuit today. You can ask around and they all know that I was probably the track's biggest ambassador for them getting their second race date."

Wallace's comments about the Texas track carries considerable weight, especially coming from him. After all, he was the driver who all but called for a complete reconstruction of the fourth turn area of the track, even "using dynamite if necessary," after crashing out of the inaugural race back in 1997.

"They (speedway management) took their lumps the first couple of years, but they knew they had problems and they fixed them," said Wallace. "For the sponsors, it's always been an important area and the fan support in Texas is unbelievable. It's one of the most important markets for Miller Lite. The last couple of years, we've had some helluva good races there and that race just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Wallace's reference to the track getting off to a "slow start" was a kind way of describing the scenarios at the speedway during the top stock car series' first two visits.

In 1997, torrential rain eliminated much of the parking around the facility. The controversial fourth turn area produced several horrendous crashes with Wallace among the victims. The turn was eventually reconstructed and now presents few, if any, problems.

In 1998, a water seepage problem with the Turn 1 asphalt was the big negative issue. The drainage system under the track was upgraded following that race and no difficulties have risen since.

"Eddie (Gossage, TMS president) and his staff took their lumps the first couple of years, but they knew they had problems and they fixed them," said Wallace. "For the sponsors, it's always been an important market and the fan support in Texas is unbelievable. The last couple of years, we've had some helluva good races there and that race just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

"I've loved that area of the country, the fans and all, from day one," Wallace said. "Fort Worth is one of the most fun towns we visit during the year. Now the track has been running problem-free and producing some great races for the fans. It's definitely one of the most important weekends of the season."

It's easily understood how much Wallace has grown to appreciate the Texas track simply by examining his record there since the first race.

Since crashing out of the inaugural event, Wallace has gone on to complete every possible lap and post all top-15 finishes. He has three top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes and a 9.0 average finish since the first race was held t T.M.S.

"First we learned how to finish the Texas races," said Wallace, who started sixth and came back from a pit road penalty to finish 10th in the April race there. "Then we learned how to lead the Texas races. We've been strong enough to win there, that's for sure. We're looking to win us a Texas race this time around. It'd be a helluva way to finish up my deal out there."

Wallace, Carter and crew are set to race their PRS-035 Miller Lite Dodge at Texas. The car has been raced six times this season -- at Texas in April (started sixth & finished 10th), at Lowe's in May (started 20th & finished 10th), at MIS in June (started 12th & finished 10th) at Indianapolis (started 41st & finished 25th) on Aug. 7, at MIS on 8/21 (started 38th & finished 13th) and at Lowe's on 10/15 where Wallace started 27th and finished 24th after making up three laps in "tiregate" of 2005. It debuted on 3/25/01 at Bristol with a fourth-place start and seventh-place finish.

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Friday's practice session from 11:20 a.m. till 1:20 p.m. leads up to the 3:10 p.m. (local) qualifying session that will establish the starting grid for Sunday's 334-lap, 501-mile battle. Saturday's action features practice sessions from 9:30 a.m. till 10:15 a.m. and from 11:10 a.m. till 11:55 a.m. Sunday's Dickies 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event at Texas Motor Speedway is set to begin at 2:10 p.m. CST (3:10 p.m. EST) and features live coverage by NBC-TV and PRN Radio.

Notes of interest:

--Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace is scheduled to be the special featured guest on Tuesday's (11/1/05) NASCAR NEXTEL Cup weekly media teleconference.

--Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace says Texas Motor Speedway may now be the most temperature-sensitive track on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit. "Just like people have said in the past about Charlotte (Lowe's Motor Speedway), Texas may just be the most temperature sensitive track that we race on now," said Wallace. "I was testing my grand national car out there last week and that's something that I really picked up on - just how sensitive the track surface has become. We've never raced there in October before and with the late start, it looks like it's shaping up to be another race like Charlotte where the race starts in the heat of the day and ends under considerably cooler conditions. It looks like it'll be a chassis man's ultimate challenge - finding a setup that works at the beginning of the race and is adjustable enough to stay on top of the track changing like we expect it to."

--Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace has certainly changed his opinion of Texas Motor Speedway since the tour first visited the track back in 1997. "Texas has become one of my favorite tracks," Wallace admitted, when asked to compare the track with the others on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup tour. "It may have started off a little slow, but it's one of the best stops and biggest races on the circuit today. You can ask around and they all know that I was probably the track's biggest ambassador for them getting their second race date." Wallace's comments about the Texas track carries considerable weight, especially coming from him. After all, he was the driver who all but called for a complete reconstruction of the fourth turn area of the track, even "using dynamite if necessary," after crashing out of that inaugural race back in 1997.

--Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace has currently led 19,941 laps in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition (ranked seventh on all-time list) and lacks only 59 laps to reach an unbelievable 20,000 laps led. Wallace has led in seven races during the 2005 season and has led a total of 259 laps. However, he has led only one lap since the Chase for the Championship started at New Hampshire on Sept. 18. Wallace has certainly benefited from his team's consistency this season as they have been running at the finish in an unbelievable streak of 45 consecutive races - since Bristol last fall, the longest current streak.

--Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace and his Larry Carter-led Penske Racing South team are set to race their PRS-035 Miller Lite Dodge at Texas. The car has been raced six times this season -- at Texas in April (started sixth & finished 10th), at Lowe's in May (started 20th & finished 10th), at MIS in June (started 12th & finished 10th) at Indianapolis (started 41st & finished 25th) on Aug. 7, at MIS on 8/21 (started 38th & finished 13th) and at Lowe's on 10/15 where Wallace started 27th and finished 24th after making up three laps in "tiregate" of 2005. It debuted on 3/25/01 at Bristol with a fourth-place start and seventh-place finish.

--"Retirement should be based on the tread, not the mileage." -Allen Ludden