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  • Kenny Wallace Is A Changed Man

    Kenny Wallace Is A Changed Man

    It may be early in the 2011 season, but one Nationwide driver, NASCAR personality and broadcaster, Kenny Wallace, is already a changed man.

    [media-credit name=”theautochannel.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Now that Wallace has found a home at RAB Racing, he has changed his racing performance from running in the back in previous years to having two consecutive top ten finishes, as well as sitting eighth in the point standings.

    “I’m a changed person,” Wallace said. “I came across a quote this winter and it really inspired me. The quote is ‘Your life won’t change until you change your life.’

    “The point is this,” Wallace continued. “I found myself in some tough circumstances over the last three years and I kept blaming it on not getting a sponsor. And so I just took a leap of faith and quit the team I was with and after I ran so good in my brother Rusty’s Toyota last year, it inspired me.”

    “So, we worked really hard and at the same time, Robby Benton and RAB Racing called me up and we put a deal together,” Wallace said. “It feels really good to work hard and have some results.”

    Wallace is also looking forward to a change in attitude, as well as results, as he heads into the Scotts EZ Speed 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. He will be behind the wheel of the RAB Racing No. 09 UNOH Toyota Camry.

    “I know what I’ve got to do there,” Wallace said. “I know the feeling I need in the car. So, I’m still focused on laying down some good finishes.”

    “And at the end of the race, if I’m in position to win, then we’re going to try to win,” Wallace continued. “But right now, I’m going to Bristol to race the race track.”

    Wallace has had success at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile”.  Out of his 33 Nationwide Series starts at Bristol, Wallace has a win, a pole, eight top-5 finishes and 18 top-10 finishes to his credit.

    While Wallace is looking forward to changing it up at Bristol, he recently announced another big change. The infamous ‘fan car’ is returning to the Wallace stable and will be raced at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 14th.

    “The fan car came out of the blue there in 2009,” Wallace said. “When we announced that we didn’t have a sponsor in Montreal, it was the fans’ idea that they sponsor the car.”

    “The fans loved it,” Wallace continued. “It was their car.”

    “Things went really well and they’ve been wanting me to do another one,” Wallace said. “I on purpose didn’t do it last year because I didn’t want to wear it out. So, we’re going to do it again this year.”

    Fans can go to www.kennywallace.com and for $20, get their name on the car, a post card sent to them at home, and an invitation to Wallace’s shop on Wednesday, October 12th for a meet-and-greet prior to the race weekend. Wallace’s sponsor will supply the refreshments and the event will afford all fans the opportunity to see their car in advance of it being on the race track.

    The whole fan car development has also changed the way that Wallace interacts and relates to his fans. He is now one of the strongest believers in the power of the social media, from Facebook to Twitter.

    “I have my own unique conversations with the fans, especially on Twitter,” Wallace said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

    “What’s funny about social networking is that it’s been around for awhile but it has really gotten big,” Wallace continued. “It’s no longer child’s play.”

    “People conduct conversation and everybody is realizing that Twitter is here to stay,” Wallace said. “It’s a form of communication that is fun for people to know more and get the truth out.”

    While much has changed in the world of the ‘Herminator’ as he is known to many of his fans, there are several constants that Wallace never wants to change.  One of those is his love of his family and the other is his passion for dirt track racing.

    Wallace literally lights up when he talks about his wife Kim and their three grown daughters, Brooke, Brandy and Brittany. Daughter Brooke is a dental hygienist, Brandy is a cosmetologist, and Brittany is a student at Johnson and Wales for fashion merchandising.

    “I had a good childhood growing up and I was a ‘mama’s boy’ so I always said that if I ever had any kids, I’m going to give them a lot of love just like my mom gave me,” Wallace said. “My mom say’s I’m an ‘old soul’ so I want to make sure my kids are tough, that they know they’ve got support and love, but they also know Mom and Dad’s got their back.”

    Wallace’s other constant is his passion for dirt track racing. When he’s not behind the wheel of his Nationwide car or behind the microphone for SPEED, he is most likely happily racing on a dirt track somewhere throughout the country.

    “I love driving race cars,” Wallace said. “The reason I drive the dirt cars is because I got one employee, my dirt car sponsor and there’s no stress there.”

    “I simply just want to win,” Wallace said. “If I don’t do good in the car, it’s on me. It’s my chance to do what I want to do the way I want to do it just with me involved.”

    No matter what changes in Wallace’s life, he wants fans to know one thing about him.

    “I thinks fans are suprised because I’m so real,” Wallace said. “I’m just like them. There’s no prima donna for me.”

    “My wife irons my clothes, I vacuum, I pay my own bills,” Wallace said. “I don’t like to act big time. I want to sit down with everybody and have a good time.”

    And in spite of the other changes recently in his career, that is one thing that will never change in the life of Kenny Wallace.

  • Kenny Wallace Proves A Man of Many Talents

    Kenny Wallace Proves A Man of Many Talents

    Kenny Wallace, known as the ‘Hermanator’ and for his unusual laugh that he sports so often on his SPEED TV gig, is indeed a man of many talents. His newest talent is as stand in for Roush Fenway Racing driver Matt Kenseth, who is expecting a new baby with wife Katie to be delivered right around the Daytona 500.

    Wallace has announced that he is ready to step into Kenseth’s No. 17 Cup car for practice and qualifying during Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway if needed.  Wallace’s first chance at stepping into the car will be for practice on February 11th in preparation for the Bud Shootout.

    “I got a call last night from (Roush Fenway Racing GM) Robbie Reiser, and he said Katie Kenseth is due to give birth to their second baby in a couple of weeks,” Wallace said on the radio show Sirius Speedway. “They want me to be on standby in case she goes into labor before the Bud Shootout or Gatorade Duel.”

    “Matt will run the Daytona 500 no matter what, but they want me there in case they need me earlier in the week,” Wallace continued. “Even though it’s probably because I’m the same size as Matt and will fit into the seat easily, it took me about a quarter of a second to agree.”

    In addition to being on baby watch, Wallace is also preparing for his talents to start his own upcoming race season.  He will be driving full-time for RAB Racing in the Nationwide Series, marking his 22nd year in that Series in 2011.

    “I’ve been nervous since the final 2010 Nationwide Series race at Homestead trying to find the right fit for next year and now I can finally sleep at night,” Wallace said of his new ride. “My goal was to find a team with whom I could be competitive and I believe I have found that with RAB Racing.”

    “I’m ready to go for 2011,” Wallace continued.  “I have known Robby (Benton) and watched him grow his team for the past few years. The relationship with Toyota Racing Development (TRD) is huge and will allow me to be able to work with at least three other Toyota teams, including my brother Rusty (Wallace) and gain valuable information that will help us with the Nationwide program at RAB Racing next year.”

    Robby Benton, RAB Racing Co-Owner could not agree with Wallace more.  “Having our plans in place before the Christmas holiday was great for team morale and will provide us with ample time to prepare for what we need to do for the upcoming season.”

    “We’ve made significant changes at RAB Racing over the last few months in an effort to elevate our program,” Benton continued.  “Our alliance with Toyota, the relationship we have with TRD and now adding Kenny to the mix, will bring some depth to our program.”

    Benton also acknowledged that Wallace, with his many talents, will bring his own sense of style and personality to the team.

    “It also helps tremendously having a driver with Kenny’s notoriety,” Benton said.  “People love him and hopefully we’ll be able to reinvigorate his fan base.”

    Wallace will be piloting the No. 09 Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the Nationwide Series.  To date, he and the team have secured several sponsors, including the University of Northwestern Ohio,  Federated Auto Parts, and Family Farmers, the latter being a coalition of soybean and corn farmers.

    These sponsors are on board for at least 16 races as primary sponsors.  As with most race teams, however, Wallace and Benton are still looking to fill their sponsorship dance card for the remaining 18 races of the Nationwide season.

    “We have a lot going on within our marketing department right now,” Benton said.  “I feel pretty confident about having all 34 races sold before the Daytona event in February.”

    Lest anyone think that Wallace has just been waiting around for the NASCAR season to start, he has already been busy at the track in Daytona.  He participated in the Rolex 24, racing under the banner of TRG and the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

    Wallace teamed up for the 24 hour race with fellow drivers Ron Yarab, Pierre Bourque, and Daniel Graeff.  While the team sought success on the track, they were also seeking to raise more than $1 million for the Foundation.

    “I am really honored to help represent the Children’s Tumor Foundation, it’s very near and dear to my heart,” Wallace said prior to the event. “Along the way I’m a competitor, a winning race driver, and it’s fun to team up with a winning organization like TRG.”

    Wallace and company finished 20th overall in the Rolex 24, after starting in the 24th position.

    In addition to the Rolex 24, Wallace has been showing off his dirt track racing talent, kicking off his season for 2011.  He has seen action at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida and will next travel the circuit from Volusia to Eldora Speedways throughout the year.

    Wallace’s final talent will emerge later in 2011 after the finale of his NASCAR Nationwide season, when he once again assumes the duties of cruise director.  Wallace will sponsor yet again his ‘Kenny Cruise 2011″ on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

    Wallace will socialize on the Allure of the Seas ship, which will cruise the western Caribbean for a week.  Kenny’s 2011 cruise will leave Ft. Lauderdale on December 4th, 2011 traveling to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico, before returning back to Florida on December 11th.

    From Rolex and NASCAR Nationwide racing to filling in for an expectant Cup driver and father, as well as social directing on his own cruise, the ‘Hermanator’ is indeed a man of many talents.  And just in case that is not enough Wallace for the year, fans can also check out his famous laugh on Race Day by the Home Depot and Victory Lane on SPEED TV for yet another season.