“Solely Responsible for My Success”- Rusty Wallace’s Youngest Brother Unravels the Legend’s Unknown Side in Heartfelt Ode

Rusty Wallace is one of a kind. NASCAR fans remember Rusty as one of the few drivers who battled Dale Earnhardt to the finish line or as the 1989 Winston Cup Series champion. However, a kinder and humanitarian side recently came to the limelight, after his younger brother Kenny Wallace provided an interesting anecdote about his brother. Having been close to his elder brother all his life, Kenny Wallace has a different version of Rusty Wallace in mind as compared to the consensus.

Kenny Wallace described his brother in his words in a recent post on Twitter and unearthed a story of how Rusty helped Herman launch his career in the Cup Series. Coming from an era where drivers struggled to find a sponsor and the funding to participate in a Cup race, Kenny’s journey to the top has been tough. Paying Rusty his respects, Kenny credited his NASCAR success to the former Cup Series champion.

Kenny Wallace reveals how his elder brother made sure he raced in the Busch Series

Kenny has always been a staunch admirer of Rusty Wallace. Regarding results and likening to the fans, Rusty was a fan favorite. The NASCAR Hall of Famer has 55 wins and capped his career with a Winston Cup Series championship in 1989. His championship victory is still remembered to this day as the driver locked horns with The Intimidator, eventually overtaking him in the standings with just five races to go.

However, Kenny Wallace’s story is about something other than Rusty’s ferocity on the track or his expertise in the car. Starting the tale of his brother’s benevolence, Kenny clarified, “Because I am RUSTY‘s brother, my stories are not gonna be like everybody else’s. When I think about RUSTY, I think about how much he has helped me in my racing career.”

Kenny begins the story by describing his career in 1984. Herman was a crew member for Levi Garrett’s team in the Cup Series, which Joe Ruttman drove. In the same year, Rusty was the driver for Cliff Stewart’s #88 car, sponsored by Gatorade. For the two brothers, it was their NASCAR dream coming true in front of them.

“I would be a crewmember on Joe Ruttman‘s Levi Garrett NASCAR Cup series car ( I ended up being the crew chief), and my brother, RUSTY, would drive the number 88 Gatorade car for Cliff Stewart in the NASCAR CUP series, a dream come true for both of us.“

Following his marriage in 1984, Kenny Wallace and his wife,, Kim, returned to St. Louis from North Carolina. Following his Cup Series stint as a crew member and a crew chief for two years, Kenny wanted to return to racing and resorted to racing in the ASA Series from 1986 to 1988. In November of 1988, Kenny’s life changed forever.

Rusty told his younger brother about an incredible opportunity and said, “ ‘Herman, do you want to race in the NASCAR Busch series?’ I could not believe my ears. And I immediately said yes!”

“Brother RUSTY built a NASCAR Busch series team for me. I mean from top to bottom. A beautiful building with 6 race, cars, a truck and trailer, and a crew of six people. Absolutely unbelievable as I look back at it. RUSTY was solely responsible for my success in NASCAR.”

Rusty had founded Rusty Wallace Inc. in 1984. Initially, RWI was created to be a marketing firm. However, in 1985, it transitioned to fielding cars in races, including Rusty in the No.66 Oldsmobile. His team had earned sponsorships from Alugard and Kodiak, allowing him to eventually get a move for Kenny Wallace.

In 1989, Kenny started racing in the No.36 Cox Treated Lumber Pontiac, winning three poles and 16 top-ten finishes. His performances earned him the Rookie of the Year award, and he went on to win his first race at Volusia County Speedway in 1991. However, that was the end for the team, as RWI’s Busch Series campaign run ended with Kenny’s transition to the Cup Series in 1993.

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Rusty Wallace is more than just a race car driver

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Kenny’s Rookie of the Year season coincided with Rusty Wallace’s championship-winning season in 1989. For the Wallace brothers, it was something they’d never forget. Especially Kenny, who utilized the platform given to him by his brother in the best way possible.

Reiterating Rusty’s old habit of giving back to people near and dear to him, Kenny wrote, “I’ve watched RUSTY give people cars, homes, and expensive jewelry. The Rusty Wallace I know and the Rusty Wallace that was racing Dale Earnhardt Sr every week are really two different people.”

“When RUSTY is at the race track, he is a fierce competitor and is completely focused. RUSTY is a winner and a giver. To this day, I tell him I LOVE him and say THANK YOU to Rusty all the time.“

Rusty Wallace has been known mainly for his exploits on the racetrack by fans. However, Kenny’s post on Twitter has shown the world a completely unknown side of the revered veteran.

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