10 Questions: Kenny Wallace
'Herm' gets personal about German Shepherds and his dream date
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
In conjunction with its season-ending top 10 lists, NASCAR.COM asked a number of drivers to answer the same 10 questions.
Kenny Wallace is one of the jolliest souls in a NASCAR garage, but make no mistake about it: The St. Louis native with the trademark laugh is also pretty serious about his racing.
Wallace, 41, is anticipating new surroundings for his 2005 assault on the Busch Series championship.
But he took time to sit down after accepting salutations for his ninth-place finish in the standings at the 2004 Busch Series awards ceremony to answer 10 questions not specifically directed at his racing career.
1. What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?
I do not own a real kick-butt Mercedes-Benz -- I mean, one of those $70,000 500 Series Mercedes-Benz, and I'd love to have one.
I'm 41 years old now and I've been driving a pick-up truck for a long time and I want to sit low. I'm tired of being high in a pick-up truck so I want a nice Mercedes-Benz.
2. If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?
My family grew up with German Shepherds, so either a German Shepherd, or a real nice Labrador. I like dogs just from the fact that they give you a sense of calmness.
I'd like a good dog. I don't like them little bitty yapping Chihuahuas, even though my daughter has one (laughing).
3. What's your biggest pet peeve while driving on the road?
Oh, that's easy. People that stay in the left lane and go slow, and don't understand that we're hyperactive and we need to go (laughing). The people that just won't go -- too slow, you know?
I go always five or 10 miles an hour over the speed limit and I can't stand people that drive the speed limit. It drives me crazy.
Q: Except when you're chasing a flying saucer, right?
Exactly (laughing). Yup.
4. What's your worst hotel experience?
That's easy -- I'll never forget it. Me and my wife were leaving Atlanta after a Cup race one night on a Sunday night and we were driving at the time -- that was before airplanes (came into wide use).
We come out and we stopped at just this old fleabag. I knew it was a fleabag but we checked in there and literally got our clothes off and got ready to climb into bed and I am dead serious -- there was a ****roach in the bed.
The sheets were clean, but the ****roach was flying. I jumped out of bed, I said (to Kim) 'put your clothes on' and I went and asked for the money back. The man was trying to say 'I get you another room, I get you another room.'
But that was by far the scariest. I've always heard of ****roaches but I never had faced 'em and I can tell you, that I've faced a ****roach in a clean bed, before.
I could just feel one, you know? I could imagine myself sleeping at 2 in the morning and a ****roach going over my face and I had to get out of there.
5. What's your favorite food?
I tell you what; I've always loved Cracker Barrel -- that's my favorite restaurant. I go in there and get me a pork chop, macaroni and cheese, corn -- with some of that cornbread.
Man, and some sweet tea. It just doesn't get any better than that, for me.
6. If you had to make a choice: being honest or being nice?
Well, that's very difficult for me, because we live in a world of politics and sometimes you have to tell a white lie or two. What I mean by a white lie is something that isn't going to hurt anybody, but it will protect the innocent.
Because I'm older now and I understand the consequences of being nice, (which) doesn't really get you everywhere you need to be. I think you need to be honest, because it will come around and bite you.
I've tried both ways. So, being honest, you don't have to worry about anything. Being nice, and lying, is bad. It doesn't work very well (laughing).
7. What's your fondest childhood memory?
I would say definitely growing up in a little town called Arnold, Missouri. I was an all-American kid. I mean, I ran the creeks, built tree houses, shot B-B guns.
One of my fondest childhood memories would have to be me and one of my very best friends, Monte Kincaid, riding bicycles (and) swimming.
Now that I look back I had a very ordinary childhood. I did everything there was to do. It wasn't until later that I began thinking that I could race for a living. So I had one of those childhoods that I think every kid dreams of, you know -- like, the dream years?
It was just awesome because I went to sleep wore out every night, I had so much fun. My friend Monte, it's sad, but he moved away to Pocahontas, Arkansas. When he left me he got hooked on crystal methadone and ended up getting killed in a car wreck.
So I kind of put all that in together and that's how I always did my speech when I was doing the "race to be safe" program. For the last two years I've always went to these grade schools and I told kids about my best friend, Monte.
So my best childhood memory is just doing all those things. I mean, even the simplest things like playing a real baseball game after school or a real football game or a kickball game. I really did all that stuff and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
It was a real cool childhood.
8. What would your dream date be? Where and with whom?
In 1980, it would have to start. I graduated (from high school) in 1981 and in 1980 I met my wife, Kim. She looked like Raquel Welch. She was dark-tanned, big-breasted, dark skin, dark eyes -- and this is no lie, she was a total knockout.
I flirted with her and flirted with her and never thought that I could get her. But when I got her, that was my dream date.
Now, I could answer you and say, 'Britney Spears in the Bahamas.' But the truth of the matter is I like them dark girls. I like them eye-talian type, dark-skinned, dark eyes, so my wife -- that was my dream date.
To this day, I say, 'You know, why did you like me?' And she says, 'When you left that photography class after the first semester it was so boring, I really missed you. I fell in love with you (laughing).'
9. What's your worst prank, either perpetrated by you, or done to you?
Oh, that's easy. You know, I graduated in 1981 but in 1984 I came down as a crewmember on the Benfield team with Joe Ruttman. There was a lot happening before I was a racecar driver.
Henry Benfield was the truck driver and Henry pulled all kinds of pranks but the one that he's legendary for is offering you some chocolate in a real nice way with Ex-lax in it. So he was the world's worst (prankster).
One time I watched him take an inner tube from a car tire. There was a rain delay at Dover, and his tire man on Junior Johnson's car at that time --- I think Darrell Waltrip was the driver --- well, it was raining pretty hard and the day was pretty much cancelled.
But we were waiting for NASCAR to cancel the day. At this time, I'm out of high school and, like, 19 years old and I'm a crewmember. Well, he takes this car inner tube and puts it underneath this car where his buddy's sleeping -- sound asleep.
He hooks an air hose up to it and opens the nitrogen bottle wide open. He takes this inner tube and blows it all the way up and it blows up, underneath the car. This guy about had a heart attack.
To this day, that's still embedded into my mind. So Henry Benfield, he wins it, hands-down.
10. What was your 'Welcome to NASCAR' moment?
That's very easy. When the Big E -- Dale Earnhardt -- called me 'Herman.' You know, when you grow up as a kid, your name's 'Kenny Wallace,' and only your close friends know you as your nickname, 'Herman.'
I had the opportunity, that I don't tell most people about, because I'm not a big name dropper, but myself and Dale Earnhardt rode in a motor home down to Darlington and we just talked.
And he kept saying, 'Hey Herm, let me tell you this,' or, 'let me tell you that.'
To this day, when I look back at it, you know, that was my big moment. It was like, 'I cannot believe I am riding in this motor home with Dale Earnhardt, as a friend.'
You don't know those things until time goes by. And at that time, I was, like, nervous but he was just trying to make me feel comfortable, and that was his gift to me, and he knew that I was in awe, but it was so cool.
'Herm' gets personal about German Shepherds and his dream date
By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
In conjunction with its season-ending top 10 lists, NASCAR.COM asked a number of drivers to answer the same 10 questions.
Kenny Wallace is one of the jolliest souls in a NASCAR garage, but make no mistake about it: The St. Louis native with the trademark laugh is also pretty serious about his racing.
Wallace, 41, is anticipating new surroundings for his 2005 assault on the Busch Series championship.
But he took time to sit down after accepting salutations for his ninth-place finish in the standings at the 2004 Busch Series awards ceremony to answer 10 questions not specifically directed at his racing career.
1. What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?
I do not own a real kick-butt Mercedes-Benz -- I mean, one of those $70,000 500 Series Mercedes-Benz, and I'd love to have one.
I'm 41 years old now and I've been driving a pick-up truck for a long time and I want to sit low. I'm tired of being high in a pick-up truck so I want a nice Mercedes-Benz.
2. If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?
My family grew up with German Shepherds, so either a German Shepherd, or a real nice Labrador. I like dogs just from the fact that they give you a sense of calmness.
I'd like a good dog. I don't like them little bitty yapping Chihuahuas, even though my daughter has one (laughing).
3. What's your biggest pet peeve while driving on the road?
Oh, that's easy. People that stay in the left lane and go slow, and don't understand that we're hyperactive and we need to go (laughing). The people that just won't go -- too slow, you know?
I go always five or 10 miles an hour over the speed limit and I can't stand people that drive the speed limit. It drives me crazy.
Q: Except when you're chasing a flying saucer, right?
Exactly (laughing). Yup.
4. What's your worst hotel experience?
That's easy -- I'll never forget it. Me and my wife were leaving Atlanta after a Cup race one night on a Sunday night and we were driving at the time -- that was before airplanes (came into wide use).
We come out and we stopped at just this old fleabag. I knew it was a fleabag but we checked in there and literally got our clothes off and got ready to climb into bed and I am dead serious -- there was a ****roach in the bed.
The sheets were clean, but the ****roach was flying. I jumped out of bed, I said (to Kim) 'put your clothes on' and I went and asked for the money back. The man was trying to say 'I get you another room, I get you another room.'
But that was by far the scariest. I've always heard of ****roaches but I never had faced 'em and I can tell you, that I've faced a ****roach in a clean bed, before.
I could just feel one, you know? I could imagine myself sleeping at 2 in the morning and a ****roach going over my face and I had to get out of there.
5. What's your favorite food?
I tell you what; I've always loved Cracker Barrel -- that's my favorite restaurant. I go in there and get me a pork chop, macaroni and cheese, corn -- with some of that cornbread.
Man, and some sweet tea. It just doesn't get any better than that, for me.
6. If you had to make a choice: being honest or being nice?
Well, that's very difficult for me, because we live in a world of politics and sometimes you have to tell a white lie or two. What I mean by a white lie is something that isn't going to hurt anybody, but it will protect the innocent.
Because I'm older now and I understand the consequences of being nice, (which) doesn't really get you everywhere you need to be. I think you need to be honest, because it will come around and bite you.
I've tried both ways. So, being honest, you don't have to worry about anything. Being nice, and lying, is bad. It doesn't work very well (laughing).
7. What's your fondest childhood memory?
I would say definitely growing up in a little town called Arnold, Missouri. I was an all-American kid. I mean, I ran the creeks, built tree houses, shot B-B guns.
One of my fondest childhood memories would have to be me and one of my very best friends, Monte Kincaid, riding bicycles (and) swimming.
Now that I look back I had a very ordinary childhood. I did everything there was to do. It wasn't until later that I began thinking that I could race for a living. So I had one of those childhoods that I think every kid dreams of, you know -- like, the dream years?
It was just awesome because I went to sleep wore out every night, I had so much fun. My friend Monte, it's sad, but he moved away to Pocahontas, Arkansas. When he left me he got hooked on crystal methadone and ended up getting killed in a car wreck.
So I kind of put all that in together and that's how I always did my speech when I was doing the "race to be safe" program. For the last two years I've always went to these grade schools and I told kids about my best friend, Monte.
So my best childhood memory is just doing all those things. I mean, even the simplest things like playing a real baseball game after school or a real football game or a kickball game. I really did all that stuff and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
It was a real cool childhood.
8. What would your dream date be? Where and with whom?
In 1980, it would have to start. I graduated (from high school) in 1981 and in 1980 I met my wife, Kim. She looked like Raquel Welch. She was dark-tanned, big-breasted, dark skin, dark eyes -- and this is no lie, she was a total knockout.
I flirted with her and flirted with her and never thought that I could get her. But when I got her, that was my dream date.
Now, I could answer you and say, 'Britney Spears in the Bahamas.' But the truth of the matter is I like them dark girls. I like them eye-talian type, dark-skinned, dark eyes, so my wife -- that was my dream date.
To this day, I say, 'You know, why did you like me?' And she says, 'When you left that photography class after the first semester it was so boring, I really missed you. I fell in love with you (laughing).'
9. What's your worst prank, either perpetrated by you, or done to you?
Oh, that's easy. You know, I graduated in 1981 but in 1984 I came down as a crewmember on the Benfield team with Joe Ruttman. There was a lot happening before I was a racecar driver.
Henry Benfield was the truck driver and Henry pulled all kinds of pranks but the one that he's legendary for is offering you some chocolate in a real nice way with Ex-lax in it. So he was the world's worst (prankster).
One time I watched him take an inner tube from a car tire. There was a rain delay at Dover, and his tire man on Junior Johnson's car at that time --- I think Darrell Waltrip was the driver --- well, it was raining pretty hard and the day was pretty much cancelled.
But we were waiting for NASCAR to cancel the day. At this time, I'm out of high school and, like, 19 years old and I'm a crewmember. Well, he takes this car inner tube and puts it underneath this car where his buddy's sleeping -- sound asleep.
He hooks an air hose up to it and opens the nitrogen bottle wide open. He takes this inner tube and blows it all the way up and it blows up, underneath the car. This guy about had a heart attack.
To this day, that's still embedded into my mind. So Henry Benfield, he wins it, hands-down.
10. What was your 'Welcome to NASCAR' moment?
That's very easy. When the Big E -- Dale Earnhardt -- called me 'Herman.' You know, when you grow up as a kid, your name's 'Kenny Wallace,' and only your close friends know you as your nickname, 'Herman.'
I had the opportunity, that I don't tell most people about, because I'm not a big name dropper, but myself and Dale Earnhardt rode in a motor home down to Darlington and we just talked.
And he kept saying, 'Hey Herm, let me tell you this,' or, 'let me tell you that.'
To this day, when I look back at it, you know, that was my big moment. It was like, 'I cannot believe I am riding in this motor home with Dale Earnhardt, as a friend.'
You don't know those things until time goes by. And at that time, I was, like, nervous but he was just trying to make me feel comfortable, and that was his gift to me, and he knew that I was in awe, but it was so cool.