Team: Penske South Racing
Car/sponsor/make: No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge
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| | Wallace |
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STATS
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Year
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Rank
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Wins
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Top 5
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Top 10
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Best finish
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2002
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7
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0
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7
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17
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2nd, 4 times
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Career
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54
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189
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309
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1st, 54 times
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2002 recap
The good: With the exception of not winning a race last season for the first time in 17 years, Wallace continued his tradition of being one of the most consistent and successful drivers on the circuit. While he was kept out of Victory Lane, he still had four runner-up finishes. Also, it was the third consecutive season Wallace has finished seventh in the standings. You can't get more consistent than that.
Season highlight: Two of Wallace's four runner-up efforts stand out for similar reasons. Starting way back in the pack of two of the season's most significant events -- 37th in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona and 35th at the Brickyard 400 -- he managed to use his experience to wind up second in both races.
The bad: Obviously, failing to extend his streak of winning a race. Wallace took almost as much pride in that streak as anything else he's done in his career.
Season lowlight: Getting knocked out of the way by Jeff Gordon on the final lap at Bristol, Tenn., in the summer, preventing Wallace from getting what would have been his first win of the season. Wallace promises he has not forgotten about the incident, which could make for some interesting confrontations this season. Also, Wallace was on-track to finish the season in the top-five, leaving Phoenix in fifth, but dropped to seventh after finishing 14th at Homestead, Fla.
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| Despite being winless in 2002, Rusty Wallace has his sights set on another championship. |
Key stat: Of 36 starts, Wallace had just one finish lower than 27th all season, when he finished 40th in the Pennsylvania 500, getting knocked out just before the midpoint of the race due to a crash. In fact, Pocono was the only race Wallace failed to finish in 2002. Other than that, he finished in the top-20 in 29 of the season's 36 races.
2003 outlook
What needs to be done: Wallace switches from Fords to Dodges for this season. Early testing has been promising, and with the near-common template situation, Wallace should not lose anything in the transition. Wallace returns with pretty much his entire team intact from last season, all he needs is a few more breaks and he could have one of his best seasons yet.
Prediction: Wallace has several things to prove in 2003. First, he needs to get back into Victory Lane. Second, he needs to prove that the switch from Ford to Dodge was worth it in terms of performance. Third, at 46, he needs to show he still has gas in his tank. And finally, he's still in pursuit of that elusive second championship to go along with the title he won in 1989. Look for Wallace to be more determined than ever in 2003, with a definite top-five finish in his sights.
Your take
Here are your thoughts on Wallace and his prospects for 2003. Will he get back to Victory Lane? Will he challenge for another championship?
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