Drivers might as well dance with death every now and then, but nothing compares to a face-off with Bill France Jr. behind closed doors, especially after a headline-grabbing controversy. Rusty Wallace found himself in that exact spot in 1989, when the NASCAR chairman summoned him following a run-in with Dale Jarrett.
What set the incident apart was Wallace’s gutsy nature and his bold response. In a situation where his NASCAR career was hanging by a thread, he stayed true to his St. Louis roots, talking right back to France and leaving the former executive stunned without a comeback.
What Happened When Rusty Wallace Faced NASCAR’s Bill France Jr.?
Wallace, who grew up in the tough part of Fenton, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, learned that it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there. The driver lived his life fearing only God and no man. His world was about to change in 1989 during the season-opener, Goody’s 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
During the race, Wallace and fellow NASCAR veteran Jarrett were battling for the lead when the three-time Daytona winner crashed after losing control of his car. From the camera angle, it looked like Wallace intentionally wrecked Jarrett.
Following the incident, France summoned the (then) 32-year-old Wallace to his office to replay the scene. Recently, the 1989 Cup Series champion joined his brother Kenny Wallace on his “Coffee with Kenny” show, where he detailed the scenes individually.
“I’m kicking you out (of NASCAR) for life, and your day is over,” a livid France said to the driver, reflecting on his run-in with Jarrett. “Your racing history is done. You need to load your chicken a** up and go back to St. Louis.” This remark got Wallace “freaked out.”
However, France, being the fair man he was, called Wallace to the press box to review the race tapes. He warned the veteran: “We’re going to replay this race, and if I see what I think I saw, you’re kicked out of NASCAR for life,” Rusty recalled during the conversation with Kenny.
France, dressed in a three-piece suit and smoking a cigar, sat there reviewing the footage while the driver was accompanied by his team owner, Raymond “Beetle” Beadle; crew chief Barry Dodson; and chief engine builder Harold Elliott. The entire Blue Max Racing hierarchy awaited France’s decision.
“Well, I don’t see nothing here. And he looks at me and goes, ‘What do you got to say for yourself?'” Wallace said. According to the tapes, Jarrett and Wallace never made any contact. Both drivers ran high and got loose.
For a split second, Wallace’s hard-nosed personality popped out. He told the late chairman, “I think you owe me an apology.” France was stunned and left without a proper comeback. He slapped back, “Get the hell out of here!”
That Busch Series incident set the tone for what was about to come, as Wallace went on to win the Winston Cup Series title later that year.