Wallace Paul Dallenbach (born May 23, 1963) is an American former racing driver. He competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, and is known for his prowess as a road racer. In addition to NASCAR, Dallenbach has raced in SCCA Trans-Am, IMSA Camel GT, CART, and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Dallenbach in 2004
BornWallace Paul Dallenbach
(1963-05-23) May 23, 1963 (age 61)
Basalt, Colorado, U.S.
Achievements1985, 1986 Trans-Am Series champion
Four class wins at 24 Hours of Daytona
Three class wins at 12 Hours of Sebring
NASCAR Cup Series career
226 races run over 11 years
Best finish18th (1999)
First race1991 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 (Atlanta)
Last race2001 Pocono 500 (Pocono)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 23 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
16 races run over 4 years
Best finish61st (2004)
First race2002 Cabela's 250 (Michigan)
Last race2005 Ameriquest 300 (California)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 3 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Best finish68th (1995)
First race1995 Subway 100 (Sonoma)
Last race1996 Lund Look 225 (Topeka
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0
Statistics current as of December 2, 2011.

Dallenbach is the son of Indy car driver and official Wallace Jacob Dallenbach. After the younger Dallenbach began a professional racing career during the middle 1980s, he came to be known by the retronym Dallenbach Jr.

Mostly retired from full-time driving, Dallenbach was a race commentator for NBC Sports and Turner Sports. His primary responsibilities are for TNT's NASCAR coverage, a position he had held since 2001, and NBC Sports Network's IndyCar Series coverage, which he has been a part of since NBC was bought by Comcast in 2010 until 2014. Dallenbach worked with Adam Alexander and Kyle Petty on TNT and with Leigh Diffey and Jon Beekhuis on NBC Sports Network. In 2015 Dallenbach joined Fox NASCAR on NASCAR Race Hub.

Racing career

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Early career

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Dallenbach was born in Basalt, Colorado. He grew up in Denver with his father Wally Dallenbach Sr. and mother. After graduating high school, Dallenbach left Colorado for North Carolina to start a racing career. He began his pro racing career in the SCCA Trans-Am Series. Immediately he won the Rookie-of-the Year title in 1984, and followed that up with two Trans-Am championships. The first one in 1985 driving for Jack Roush in a Mercury Capri. This made Dallenbach the youngest Trans-Am champion at the age of just 22 years. The following year Dallenbach joined the Protofab team and drove their Camaros to another championship. The success garnered him an invitation to race in the International Race of Champions in 1987. Dallenbach followed up those accomplishments by winning the 24 Hours of Daytona four times and the 12 Hours of Sebring three times. He later drove in the GTO class of the IMSA GT championship, finishing runner-up in the standings in 1988 (driving for Jack Roush) and 1989.

IndyCar

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Initially, Dallenbach followed the steps of his father by pursuing an open-wheel career, taking part the inaugural round of the American Racing Series in 1986, on which he raced four more times over the following two seasons, finishing 3rd at Phoenix in 1988. One year before, he had made his CART Indy Car debut at Road America subbing for driver-owner Dick Simon, who had undergone an arm surgery after a fall off his motorbike. After qualifying 17th, Dallenbach went off the track late in the race and retired, though he was classified in the 12th and final points paying place. Three years later, in 1990, he took part in three road course races at the end of the season for the Leader Cards team, in place of the departing Pancho Carter, with an 11th place finish at Denver followed by engine failures at Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca.

NASCAR

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By 1991, Dallenbach was ready made the jump to the world of NASCAR, racing in the Winston Cup Series. He made eleven starts that year driving one of Junie Donlavey's Fords. In 1992, former boss Jack Roush called Dallenbach up to have him drive as a teammate to Mark Martin in the No. 16 Ford. He drove for Roush during the 1992 and 1993 seasons, finishing second at Watkins Glen 1993, fifth at the 1991 Watkins Glen race, seventh at 1996 Sonoma, and tenth at the 1993 Daytona 500 and 1993 Talladega 500.

In 1994, Richard Petty put Dallenbach in the famous No. 43 Pontiac. He was the second driver other than Petty to drive the No. 43.[a] Dallenbach finished fourth at Sonoma, eighth at Talladega and tenth at Dover, but was released part way through the season. 1995 was an up-and-down year for Dallenbach, as he did not have a full-time ride. However, a one race deal with Bill Davis in the No. 22 Pontiac almost got Dallenbach his first Cup win at Watkins Glen, but he fell in the closing laps to finish in second.

 
Dallenbach's 1996 Winston Cup car at Pocono Raceway

The following years saw Dallenbach jumping around to different rides. He was considered one of the better road course drivers and was often recruited to drive at such tracks as Sonoma and Watkins Glen, as many drivers struggled on these more demanding tracks. In 1996 he drove the No. 15 Ford for Bud Moore Engineering, finishing sixth at the Daytona 500, third at Sonoma and tenth at Watkins Glen. Then he drove the No. 46 First Union-sponsored Chevrolet for Felix Sabates from 1997 through part of 1998, claiming a tenth-place finish at the 1997 Watkins Glen race.

Later in 1998, Dallenbach stepped in to sub for Ricky Craven in the No. 50 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. The combination worked out well, earning three top 10s, and Dallenbach signed on to drive the No. 25 Chevrolet for 1999. It resulted in his best position in the standings of eighteenth with six top tens.

In 2000, Dallenbach joined the new Galaxy Motorsports and drove the No. 75 Ford. It was a difficult season, with a best result of ninth at Watkins Glen. In addition, promised sponsor opportunities fell through, leaving Dallenbach without a ride right before the 2001 season was to begin. In fact, Dallenbach was listed in several season preview media sources, despite never attempting a single race that season. Dallenbach would also sub for Joe Nemechek in the Pocono event in 2001.

2021

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Dallenbach made his return to racing in 2021 in the Trans-Am TAH subcategory of the TA class.

Broadcasting career

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Without a ride, Dallenbach took up TV commentating in 2001, covering the NASCAR races for NBC and TNT alongside Allen Bestwick (later Bill Weber, then Adam Alexander) and Benny Parsons (later Kyle Petty). In doing so, he became known for his pre-race "Wally's World" segment, where he takes celebrities for a ride around the track. The commentating also allowed Dallenbach to drive in a few Busch Series races and do some live commentary from the car. Dallenbach and Weber also teamed up to commentate several Championship Off-Road Racing events, with Dallenbach pre-running the track in a Pro-4 truck. With the NBC and TNT partnership splitting at the end of the 2006 season, Dallenbach stayed with TNT's new six-race package, and also reunited with Weber during NBC Champ Car broadcasts.

He has since run Daytona Prototypes with his brother Paul at the 24 Hours of Daytona and in 2006, won the open wheel division at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb with Paul finishing right behind in 2nd. On September 22, 2014, Dallenbach announced he would return to Trans-Am for the season finale at Daytona in the TA2 class, stating the "broadcasting phase of my life is over".[1]

Personal life

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Dallenbach is married to Robin Dallenbach, who is the daughter of drag racing driver, engine builder, and team owner Bob McCall.[2] Their daughter Kate Dallenbach was a member of Richard Childress Racing's driver development program.[3]

Awards and honors

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Motorsports career results

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American open–wheel results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Complete CART Indy Car results

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points Ref
1987 Dick Simon Racing LBC PHX INDY MIL POR MEA CLE TOR MIS POC ROA
12
MDO NAZ LAG MIA 37th 1 [5]
1990 Leader Card Racing PHX LBG INDY MIL DET POR CLE MEA TOR MIS DEN
11
VAN MDO
18
ROA NAZ LAG
25
27th 2 [6]

NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

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NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NWCC Pts Ref
1991 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL
26
DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL
34
CLT
33
DOV SON POC MCH
28
DAY
34
POC TAL
41
GLN
32
MCH
22
BRI DAR RCH
25
DOV
DNQ
MAR NWS CLT
19
CAR PHO ATL
36
38th 803 [7]
1992 Roush Racing 16 Ford DAY
15
CAR
21
RCH
24
ATL
27
DAR
30
BRI
22
NWS
30
MAR
19
TAL
14
CLT
28
DOV
34
SON
25
POC
27
MCH
18
DAY
11
POC
32
TAL
14
GLN
5
MCH
20
BRI
19
DAR
24
RCH
23
DOV
31
MAR
14
NWS
24
CLT
20
CAR
23
PHO
12
ATL
38
24th 2799 [8]
1993 DAY
10
CAR
20
RCH
27
ATL
25
DAR
13
BRI
11
NWS
21
MAR
34
TAL
29
SON
7
CLT
40
DOV
12
POC
25
MCH
25
DAY
35
NHA
27
POC
17
TAL
10
GLN
2
MCH
31
BRI
21
DAR
11
RCH
15
DOV
15
MAR
27
NWS
15
CLT
24
CAR
31
PHO
34
ATL
33
22nd 2978 [9]
1994 Petty Enterprises 43 Pontiac DAY
17
CAR
27
RCH
DNQ
ATL
DNQ
DAR
41
BRI
17
NWS
16
MAR
DNQ
TAL
41
SON
4
CLT
25
DOV
10
POC
17
MCH
DNQ
DAY
DNQ
NHA
DNQ
POC
16
TAL
8
IND
23
GLN
14
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 38th 1493 [10]
1995 Strauser Racing 45 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON
39
CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND 50th 221 [11]
Bill Davis Racing 22 Pontiac GLN
2
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL
1996 Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford DAY
6
CAR
23
RCH
40
ATL
20
DAR
37
BRI
24
NWS
28
MAR
DNQ
TAL
12
SON
3
CLT
19
DOV
22
POC
12
MCH
13
DAY
12
NHA
18
POC
33
TAL
32
IND
17
GLN
10
MCH
34
BRI
25
DAR
25
RCH
33
DOV
29
MAR
22
NWS
34
CLT
33
CAR
36
PHO
15
ATL
40
25th 2786 [12]
1997 Team SABCO 46 Chevy DAY
42
CAR RCH ATL
DNQ
DAR TEX
DNQ
BRI MAR SON
15
TAL
17
CLT
35
POC
17
MCH
20
CAL
39
DAY
39
NHA POC
38
IND
36
GLN
10
MCH
41
BRI
26
DAR
41
RCH
41
NHA
31
DOV MAR
34
CLT
37
TAL
41
CAR
35
PHO
DNQ
ATL
38
41st 1475 [13]
40 DOV
36
1998 46 DAY
DNQ
CAR
DNQ
LVS
38
ATL
39
DAR
DNQ
BRI TEX
19
MAR
DNQ
TAL
26
38th 1832 [14]
ISM Racing 35 Pontiac CAL
29
CLT DOV RCH
Hendrick Motorsports 50 Chevy MCH
10
POC
7
SON
27
NHA MCH
8
BRI
28
NHA
43
DAR
31
RCH
30
DOV
25
MAR
32
CLT
23
TAL
39
DAY
30
PHO
25
CAR
36
ATL
25
Elliott-Marino Racing 13 Ford POC
25
IND
40
GLN
1999 Hendrick Motorsports 25 Chevy DAY
12
CAR
17
LVS
13
ATL
39
DAR
38
TEX
23
BRI
30
MAR
18
TAL
20
CAL
8
RCH
20
CLT
21
DOV
20
MCH
14
POC
39
SON
41
DAY
26
NHA
7
POC
5
IND
14
GLN
7
MCH
23
BRI
28
DAR
21
RCH
28
NHA
22
DOV
15
MAR
22
CLT
33
TAL
35
CAR
39
PHO
9
HOM
9
ATL
23
18th 3367 [15]
2000 Galaxy Motorsports 75 Ford DAY
40
CAR
20
LVS
35
ATL
39
DAR
DNQ
BRI
29
TEX
DNQ
MAR
DNQ
TAL
16
CAL
27
RCH
16
CLT
28
DOV
24
MCH
34
POC
39
SON
40
DAY
21
NHA
27
POC
31
IND
35
GLN
9
MCH
25
BRI
33
DAR
19
RCH
23
NHA
39
DOV
21
MAR
40
CLT
33
TAL
DNQ
CAR
22
PHO
22
HOM
35
ATL
29
34th 2344 [16]
2001 Andy Petree Racing 33 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC
26
SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND 64th 85 [17]
Petty Enterprises 44 Dodge GLN
DNQ
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MAR TAL PHO CAR HOM ATL NHA
Daytona 500 results
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Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1992 Roush Racing Ford 37 15
1993 22 10
1994 Petty Enterprises Pontiac 18 17
1996 Bud Moore Engineering Ford 9 6
1997 Team SABCO Chevrolet 26 42
1998 DNQ
1999 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 34 12
2000 Galaxy Motorsports Ford 34 40

Busch Series

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NASCAR Busch Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NBSC Pts Ref
2002 Tommy Baldwin Racing 6 Dodge DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH
14
BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT
7
MEM ATL CAR PHO
9
HOM 62nd 405 [18]
2003 Reiser Enterprises 17 Ford DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN
12
MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV 73rd 434 [19]
89 KAN
17
CLT MEM ATL
36
PHO
37
CAR HOM
25
2004 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Pontiac DAY
42
CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI 61st 484 [20]
Team Rensi Motorsports 35 Ford CAL
20
RCH DOV KAN
10
CLT
40
MEM ATL PHO
24
DAR HOM
29
2005 Kevin Harvick Inc. 83 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN
34
MCH BRI CAL
30
RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 100th 134 [21]

Craftsman Truck Series

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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 NCTSC Pts Ref
1995 Roehrig Motorsports 18 Chevy PHO TUS SGS MMR POR EVG I70 LVL BRI MLW CNS HPT IRP FLM RCH MAR NWS SON
2
MMR PHO 68th 170 [22]
1996 Chesrown Racing 66 Chevy HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT
25
BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP FLM GLN NSV RCH NHA MAR NWS SON MMR PHO LVS 112th 88 [23]

Notes

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  1. ^ The no. 43 car was temporarily renumbered as no. 44 during the 1993 season

References

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  1. ^ DiZinno, Tony (September 22, 2014). "Wally Dallenbach Jr. is coming back to Trans-Am". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  2. ^ Lawrence, Andrew (May 6, 2016). "Robin Dallenbach's NASCAR legacy rolls on with daughter Kate". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  3. ^ "RCR adds two female teenagers to driver development program". Foxsports.com. January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  4. ^ "Hall of Fame". Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  5. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1987 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  6. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1990 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  7. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  11. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  14. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  15. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  17. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  18. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2002 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  19. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2003 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  20. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  21. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  22. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1995 NASCAR SuperTruck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  23. ^ "Wally Dallenbach Jr. – 1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Trans-Am Series Champion
1985, 1986
Succeeded by