Russell Wallace

Already a household name in the local track championships around the Midwest, Russell William "Rusty" Wallace was one of NASCAR Cup Series racing's most talented participants. An impressive list of achievements, which include 55 wins, 349 top-10 finishes and 36 pole positions, among many others, Wallace was a strong force both on and off the track.

In 1989, Wallace was crowned the NASCAR Cup Series champion, with his 55 wins and 36 pole positions already under his belt. He made his debut in NASCAR racing in 1984, and won the Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to win his first two Cup wins in the 1986 season. Wallace finished an impressive second on his Cup debut, at 1980 Atlanta 500, held at the Atlanta International Speedway in Hampton.

Leading with the most number of laps in 1993, 1994 and even 2000, Wallace also led the most number of wins category, numbering to 10 and eight in his first two years.

In 1998, and 1993, Wallace was named Driver of the Year by National Motorsports Press Association. His first win on his Ford Taurus was at Daytona, in the 1998 Bud Shootout. He retired from racing in 2005, and has a 14.4 career average finish.