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J.J. O'Malley
RacingOne Contributor
Posted Wednesday, December 21, 2005
"I've always wanted to do the Rolex 24."
While Rusty Wallace retired from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing, the popular veteran is not quite ready to hang up his helmet.
First, Wallace wants to fill one gap in his extensive racing resume by competing in the January 28-29 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Wallace was at Daytona International Speedway Wednesday, testing a Daytona Prototype for the first time in private testing among several Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve teams.
“I’ve always wanted to do the Rolex 24,” Wallace said. “A lot of my competitors told me, ‘Man you got to try it.’ Now, I’ve got the opportunity to driver Max Crawford’s car, and I’m going to do it.
“Obviously, my career is over and I went out with a nice feeling with my competitors, sponsors and fans, but I told them all along that I wanted to run the Rolex 24.”
Wallace said he was at Daytona for a shakedown test, in preparation for the official Rolex Series test January 4-6.
While Wallace said this would be his “last race ever in competition,” he later admitted he might try additional one-off road races if the opportunity came up, possibly for the Rolex Series race in Mexico City.
“This has been in my plans for over a year and a half, to run the Rolex 24,” Wallace said. “Since I’ve never even seen one of these cars before, I wanted to come down and work the bugs out to really understand what I’m doing when I come back for the test in January. These are beautiful cars, built only four miles from my race shop in Mooresville (N.C.). They’re a high-tech piece of equipment compared to a NEXTEL Cup car or Busch car.
“The Rolex 24 is an internationally known race,” Wallace added. “It’s a race the world’s greatest drivers have run — A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, the late Dale Earnhardt — people like that, to name a few. Tony (Stewart) drove it and likes it, and he’s the one who told me to try it, they’re neat cars to run. “
Wallace said he was not quite ready to announce the remainder of the team or sponsors, but hoped to be ready in a week.
“We’ve got a host of people that want to run with me,” Wallace said. “We want to put two hot-shot road racers in with me. We’ll do four drivers, myself and three others.”
Wallace tested the No. 2 Howard-Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford, a car that won three races with Andy Wallace and Milka Duno at the wheel, with a team that nearly won the past two runnings of the Rolex 24. The team’s No. 4 car will be shared by three-time Rolex 24 winner Butch Leitzinger, reigning NEXTEL Cup Series champ Tony Stewart and Wallace. Crawford will also field the No. 16 for a team led by Rob and Chris Dyson.
“If I thought I was risking my reputation by doing this, I wouldn’t do it,” Wallace said. “I’ve won nine NASCAR road races — at Riverside, Sears Point and Watkins Glen — so I don’t have to prove to anybody that I know how to road race. But this is a different animal, and these drivers are pretty darn good drivers. We’ll have four good drivers — I’m just part of the puzzle — and when it’s all said and done I get to say that I did it. Hopefully, I’ll be on a team that’s capable of winning the thing.
“When the record book is closed on Rusty Wallace’s driving career, I want the Rolex 24 to be included.”
RacingOne Contributor
Posted Wednesday, December 21, 2005
"I've always wanted to do the Rolex 24."
While Rusty Wallace retired from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing, the popular veteran is not quite ready to hang up his helmet.
First, Wallace wants to fill one gap in his extensive racing resume by competing in the January 28-29 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Wallace was at Daytona International Speedway Wednesday, testing a Daytona Prototype for the first time in private testing among several Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve teams.
“I’ve always wanted to do the Rolex 24,” Wallace said. “A lot of my competitors told me, ‘Man you got to try it.’ Now, I’ve got the opportunity to driver Max Crawford’s car, and I’m going to do it.
“Obviously, my career is over and I went out with a nice feeling with my competitors, sponsors and fans, but I told them all along that I wanted to run the Rolex 24.”
Wallace said he was at Daytona for a shakedown test, in preparation for the official Rolex Series test January 4-6.
While Wallace said this would be his “last race ever in competition,” he later admitted he might try additional one-off road races if the opportunity came up, possibly for the Rolex Series race in Mexico City.
“This has been in my plans for over a year and a half, to run the Rolex 24,” Wallace said. “Since I’ve never even seen one of these cars before, I wanted to come down and work the bugs out to really understand what I’m doing when I come back for the test in January. These are beautiful cars, built only four miles from my race shop in Mooresville (N.C.). They’re a high-tech piece of equipment compared to a NEXTEL Cup car or Busch car.
“The Rolex 24 is an internationally known race,” Wallace added. “It’s a race the world’s greatest drivers have run — A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, the late Dale Earnhardt — people like that, to name a few. Tony (Stewart) drove it and likes it, and he’s the one who told me to try it, they’re neat cars to run. “
Wallace said he was not quite ready to announce the remainder of the team or sponsors, but hoped to be ready in a week.
“We’ve got a host of people that want to run with me,” Wallace said. “We want to put two hot-shot road racers in with me. We’ll do four drivers, myself and three others.”
Wallace tested the No. 2 Howard-Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford, a car that won three races with Andy Wallace and Milka Duno at the wheel, with a team that nearly won the past two runnings of the Rolex 24. The team’s No. 4 car will be shared by three-time Rolex 24 winner Butch Leitzinger, reigning NEXTEL Cup Series champ Tony Stewart and Wallace. Crawford will also field the No. 16 for a team led by Rob and Chris Dyson.
“If I thought I was risking my reputation by doing this, I wouldn’t do it,” Wallace said. “I’ve won nine NASCAR road races — at Riverside, Sears Point and Watkins Glen — so I don’t have to prove to anybody that I know how to road race. But this is a different animal, and these drivers are pretty darn good drivers. We’ll have four good drivers — I’m just part of the puzzle — and when it’s all said and done I get to say that I did it. Hopefully, I’ll be on a team that’s capable of winning the thing.
“When the record book is closed on Rusty Wallace’s driving career, I want the Rolex 24 to be included.”