Wally Dallenbach Jr.
Dallenbach in 2004
Born (1963-05-23) May 23, 1963
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.

Walter Dallenbach Jr. (born May 23, 1963) is an American former racing driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He competed in 226 Winston Cup races from 1991 to 2001 and had 23 top 10 finishes. The son of open wheel racer and former CART chief steward Wally Dallenbach Sr., Wally Jr. is also 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.

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

Early career

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

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

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. 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

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

Broadcasting career

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

Dallenbach has been 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

Motorsports career results

American open–wheel results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Complete CART Indy Car results

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

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

Winston Cup Series

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
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

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

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]

References

  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 2023-09-23.
  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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