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Son spots Greg Wallace keeps dad right on trackPosted: Wednesday November 13, 2002 3:17 PM
Tune to Rusty Wallace's race-day radio, and you might think someone has programmed a talk show on the regular track frequencies. It's not Dr. Phil or Dr. Laura, but sometimes it's, uh, entertaining. And not in the shock-sense of bad language or tirades. Silence prevails when appropriate, but Wallace is no wallflower in or out of the car. Usually he and crew chief Bill Wilburn are communicating -- fixing, exchanging, and, occasionally, arguing. Spotters squeeze in their contributions. So does owner Roger Penske, when he's around. Amid all this cacophony, you wonder how decisions are reached, must less formulated. Yet one voice has commanded Wallace's ear the past three weeks -- that of his eldest son, Greg. Sunday's Winston Cup finale at Homestead marks Greg's season finale at spotting, and according to the one opinion that counts, he's earned his headphones. "When he comes across the radio, it's like crystal clear," said Wallace. "I really make out every word he says. He's kind of hyper like me, so it's, 'Clear high! High! Low! Low! Low!' It's not like, 'Oh ... they're ... looking ... inside ... '" Not that regular spotter Earl Barban is a snore. Wallace is quite comfortable there, but Barban, who also functions as a mechanic, twice has required a backup at his Sunday perch, once at midseason when he had to replace the jack man for several races, and again during the past three weeks, after he suffered injuries in a motorcycle wreck en route to Rockingham. Barban first absence -- you can't spot with a jack in your hand -- occurred during the Cup series' first visit to Charlotte. Greg, who'd only dabble-spotted prior to this season (as the second guy at both road courses and Indianapolis), was recruited to replace the veteran. He admits to a few preliminary butterflies, but some things are innate. "I've been around race cars my entire life, from the time I was born," said Greg. "I can't tell you how many of these races I've been to, and at every race, I listen to the headsets. You pick up on the lingo and stuff like that." He kept the job for seven weeks -- through the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. After Barban ended up in the hospital the Thursday before Rockingham, the elder Wallace made another call to the family bullpen. "Knowing his personality and his temper when he gets in the race car helps," said Greg, who added that his father is "all business" behind the wheel. Blood doesn't guarantee immunity, however. Last week at Phoenix, Rusty told Greg to speak up, once, that he couldn't hear him. It was not a suggestion. "Dad's not afraid to tell me what he thinks when I'm screwing up," said the son, who reported getting yelled at only, "10 or 12 times," all season; that one should expect it. "People always ask me that, but it's been pretty smooth," said Greg. "He's usually pretty complimentary to me at the end of the race." Blue-eyed and blonde like his father, Greg Wallace is no kid. He's 22, and a fresh college graduate. Has spent his summer and fall interning with a New York law firm. The group had given him a few weeks off to prepare for the LSAT, so he didn't have to clear his latest spotting duties with a boss, but he may have to clear his calendar in the coming weeks. On Dec. 7, Greg will take the LSAT -- the qualifying exam for law school. He'd like to begin graduate school next September, but driving's not totally out of his plans. He's been competing weekly in late models, and hasn't given up on racing; he just has other ambitions, and a law degree -- perhaps mixed with an MBA -- would fuel many of them. Not the least of which includes staying in motor sports. "Maybe end up a team owner, eventually," said Greg. "Who knows? A general manager. And maybe just branch out in some other sports. I know I want to be involved in sports, and we'll just have to see what happens."
Denise N. Maloof covers NASCAR for CNNSI.com.
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