Rusty Wallace Returning to Cup????

[Johnsonator]

This is from the Jayski Site straight from Kenny Wallace.

Rusty back to Cup? with DEI? from an article at SPEEDtv.com by Kenny Wallace: The hot NASCAR rumor right now is not something you’d hear anywhere other than around the race shops in Mooresville, N.C. Everyone wants to know if my brother Rusty Wallace is coming out of retirement to drive for Dale Earnhardt Inc. next season. I’m running the #00 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega and was at Michael’s shop Tuesday being fitted for my seat. Six different crew members came up to me and said they’d heard a rumor Rusty was coming back to drive for DEI. These rumors get started in the Mooresville area because the shops are so close to each other and nothing can be kept secret for long. All I can say is that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And he is definitely considering stepping back into a race car. He’s considering this huge move because he watched Brett Favre come out of retirement in the NFL and his good friend Mark Martin is giving it another shot next year at Hendrick. If Mark had quit, Rusty would have been comfortable with his retirement. But watching Mark, who is a couple of years younger than my brother, stage this comeback has really tugged on Rusty’s heartstrings. Rusty has told me numerous times he can outrun half the drivers in the Cup Series and he truly is giving a lot of thought to returning to the track. If he wants to make that commitment, I’ll support him 110-percent. The decision is Rusty’s and his wife Patti’s, but I think the whole possibility is very inspirational and I’m looking forward to his answer. If he comes back, I think he’ll be a bit surprised by the new car. I predict Rusty will be successful but he’ll be shocked that he won’t have control of the chassis the way he used to. He’ll have an adjustment period because the cars are controlled by engineers, bump-stops and seven-post machines, technology that wasn’t in such great use when he left the sport. There is no doubt Rusty has the talent to run well but he’ll probably be upset he won’t be able to set up the car on his own or tell the team how to do it. Maybe we’ll know sometime soon if I’m right or not.

If this is true next year should be real interesting!

[Uncle Bill]

Geez Rusty, don't embarrass yourself.

Stay in retirement.

[lawdog]

For once I agree with Uncle Bill (MARK THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR BOYS AND GIRLS!).

[PierBridge]

I can't believe he retired in the first place. I figured he would regret it and make some sort of comeback eventually.

[Johnsonator]

I wouldn't mind seeing him make a comback. One thing I notice is that there are a lot of good drivers out there now and not enough rides available. Rusty Wallace, Jeremy Mayfield, AJ Almendinger, Dario Franchiti, Patrick Carpentier, Scott Riggs, JJ Yeley, and many other drivers like Johnny Sauter who have been running different cars here and there this year, are all looking for rides and I don't see that many available. In years past it never seemed that there was this many guys taking a back seat. Some drivers are going to get "weeded out" or will have to take a ride in a different series. Just goes to show how competative this sport really is.

[lawdog]

That has always happened Johnsonator. Besides I wouldn't necessarily call some of those guys you mentioned good drivers. Mayfield (while he can drive some) has been run out of everywhere he's been, Almendinger hasn't done anything, Riggs hasn't done anything outside the Busch Series and Yeley really needs to go back to USAC where he didn't blow. Johnny Sauter also failed at Childress with good equipment.

[fishing tech]

I would rather see him drive then have to listen to him ramble on about nothing.

[Rippinlip]

Good for Rusty,

Let him do what he wants, I think he will regret it, but thats part of the deal.

I would like to chime in just a little on Jeremy Mayfield, I have always liked him, since he drove the RCA car back in the early 90's. Anyways, he was one of the few that made the chase the first couple of years, remember he was leading the old point system half way thru the season back in I believe 98. He Dale Earnharted Dale SR at Pocono(that was sweet), he can drive, his biggest problem is he makes the owners live up to the contracts he signs, when they want to switch it, it upsets him and he lets people know.

Probably just a supportive fan, but.

[Johnsonator]

I hear ya lawdog & rippinlip. Not all of the drivers are good, but to me some of them are much better than some drivers that have rides now. That is just part of NASCAR I guess.

[Neighbor_guy]

I had heard that rusty retired because he could no longer get along with Penske and Ryan Newman. Perhaps he has been retired long enough to not be covered under the old contract.

With the new car the "Air Rusty" nickname is out, mabe "Crusty Rusty" will work again.

[Macgyver55]

At this point Rusty is denying it!

[HOF#13]

Yep....this update on jayski....

UPDATE denied: Rusty Wallace on Wednesday denied a report that he is considering ending his three-year retirement to drive again -- possibly for former rival Dale Earnhardt's team. "I love Kenny to death; he's been trying to get me back in a car ever since I retired after 2005," Rusty Wallace said in a statement. "While any rumors like this are certainly flattering, they're untrue. I have a long-term commitment to ABC and ESPN and I really love what I'm doing right now." DEI president Max Siegel did not immediately return a call for comment.

I too think Rusty is better off staying retired. His last few years in the old car were not all that good, I can't imagine he would fare too well in these new cars. Kenny Wallace even said he thought his brother would struggle with the new car.

[Harmonica Bear]

Never been a big fan of Rusty but..... If getting back in a car means he gets out of the broadcast booth....

Give that cat a ride in a hot rod!

[jwhjr]

He does like to talk about himself alot in the booth now doesn't he... Hopefully he'll just stay retired and get out of the booth in the near future. The best of both worlds

[Double D]

Can Darrell Waltrip get that deal then too please?

DD

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Ya, maybe Hammond and Larry Mac will come out of retirement to be thier crew chiefs!!