Kenny Wallace looks back on how brother Rusty gave him his big NASCAR break

Racing legend Kenny Wallace recently took to X (formerly Twitter), revealing an intimate glimpse into his journey, shining a spotlight on the pivotal role his brother Rusty Wallace played in his NASCAR career.

Kenny reminisced about the transformative year of 1984 when both brothers, along with Rusty’s wife Patti and Kenny’s then-girlfriend Kim, made a significant move to North Carolina. He said:

“I will never forget 1984, RUSTY and his wife, Patti and at the time my girlfriend, Kim and myself moved to North Carolina.”

The 60-year-old recalled the excitement of working as a crew member on Joe Ruttman’s Levi Garrett NASCAR Cup Series car. He said:

“I would be a crewmember on Joe Ruttman‘s Levi Garrett NASCAR cup series car ( I ended up being the crew chief) and 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.”

As the years unfolded, Kenny’s journey took a personal turn when he married Kim Poole Wallace in June 1984. The duo moved back to St. Louis, setting the stage for Kenny’s burgeoning career in the ASA series from 1986 to 1988.

However, a life-changing call awaited Kenny as he moved back. He continued:

“In November of 1988 I would receive a call from, RUSTY that would change my life and our families life forever.”

“‘Herman, do you want to race in the NASCAR Busch series?’” were the words that changed Kenny Wallace’s life.

“I could not believe my ears. And I immediately said yes,” he stated.

Rusty, proving to be more than just a brother but a racing benefactor, had built an entire NASCAR Busch series team for Kenny Wallace. The younger Wallace aptly stated:

“Absolutely unbelievable as I look back at it.”

In 1989, Kenny took part in the full Xfinity Series schedule (known as the Busch series back then) in a car owned by Rusty, ending up sixth in the driver’s standings.

Kenny Wallace reflects on Rusty’s generosity beyond the track

Rusty’s influence on Kenny Wallace’s success was not confined to the track; it permeated their living arrangements as well. Kenny continued:

“We arrived in North Carolina for the second time RUSTY had a brand new single wide Oakwood mobile home waiting for us with a brand new porch on the front… RUSTY also bought us a nice used van for Kim and myself to use.”

The pinnacle of this journey was in 1989 when Kenny Wallace won the NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year title. In the same season, brother Rusty won the NASCAR Cup Series championship (known as the Winston Cup back then). As Kenny stated:

WHAT A YEAR IT WAS.”

As he recounted these stories, he couldn’t help but highlight Rusty’s generosity. He revealed:

“I’ve watched, RUSTY give people cars and homes and expensive jewelry.

Kenny concluded by expressing his love and gratitude to Rusty, a sentiment echoed in the countless “thank yous” that punctuate their conversations to this day. He said:

RUSTY is a winner and a giver. To this day I tell him I…