Kenny Wallace deems Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s rival the greatest short track racer of all time

Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace named Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s rival, Rusty Wallace, as the greatest short-track racer of all time. While it may seem obvious for Kenny to choose his older brother, the Team Penske legend makes a strong case for the title of the best short track racer.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. won 76 races at the top level, along with a record-tying seven championships. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, the Intimidator dominated the sport, racking up wins and titles against numerous rivals, including Rusty Wallace, who earned 55 Cup Series victories, a majority of them on short-track ovals.

Rusty Wallace had already made a name for himself before his NASCAR debut, winning over 200 short-track races and laying the groundwork for his success in the premier stock car series. The 1989 champion is regarded as the most successful NASCAR short-track driver of the modern era, with 34 Cup race wins, according to the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Hence, when an X user asked who the greatest short track racer was, Kenny Wallace tagged his elder brother.

"In your opinion, who is the greatest short track racer of all time?"

"@RustyWallace🏁"Wallace wrote.

Rusty Wallace earned six victories at Richmond, nine at Bristol, three at North Wilkesboro, and seven at Martinsville. He also clinched three wins at Dover, five at Rockingham, and one at New Hampshire.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. also found plenty of success on short tracks, often using his bumper to "rattle his rival’s cage." He secured five wins each at North Wilkesboro and Richmond, nine at Bristol, and six at Martinsville, among numerous other victories.

The Intimidator was successful on drafting tracks, with 10 Cup Series victories at Talladega and three at Daytona. One area where Wallace had the edge was on road courses, earning two wins each at Watkins Glen, Sonoma, and Riverside. In contrast, Dale Sr. secured a single road course victory at Sonoma.

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When Dale Earnhardt Sr. wrecked Rusty Wallace at Bristol

Bristol Motor Speedway has been the stage for many iconic moments when short-track tempers flared between rivals. While Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Terry Labonte clashed multiple times at the track, the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing driver also famously wrecked Rusty Wallace in 1995.

For the 1995 Goody's 500, Wallace qualified fifth and Earnhardt seventh. Both drivers started behind Jeff Gordon, who was emerging as NASCAR's most popular driver. Jealous of Gordon's meteoric rise, frenemies Wallace and Earnhardt had agreed to work together to beat the young Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Despite their pre-race agreement, Dale Earnhardt spun Rusty Wallace just 32 laps into the race, earning a black flag. On the final lap, in a desperate move for the win, he wrecked Terry Labonte off Turn 4, but Labonte managed to win the race, sliding across the start-finish line.

Post-race, Rusty Wallace expressed his frustration after finishing 21st and 46 laps down. He threw a water bottle, which bounced off the roof of Earnhardt's car and struck him in the head.