Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace named grand marshal for North Wilkesboro Cup race

Rusty Wallace, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and a three-time winner at North Wilkesboro Speedway, has been named grand marshal for the Window World 450, officials announced on Thursday.

Wallace, whose career ran from 1980 to 2005, will join Window World executives in giving the command to start engines prior to North Wilkesboro's first Cup Series points race this century.

"It's an honor to be named the Grand Marshal at North Wilkesboro," Wallace said in a news release. "Wilkesboro's a track that played a big role in the early history of our sport, and it's great to see what Marcus Smith and the group at Speedway Motorsports have done to bring it back to life.

"I have so many great memories there of battles with guys like Dale Earnhardt and Geoff Bodine. I'm looking forward to adding to those memories next month," he added.

The St. Louis, Missouri, native captured the spring Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro in 1988 and swept both Cup Series events at the five-eighths-mile oval in 1993. In 1989, Wallace won the NASCAR Cup Series championship driving the No. 27 Pontiac for Blue Max Racing. From 1991 to his retirement in 2005, Wallace drove the iconic No. 2 machine for Team Penske, where he captured the majority of his 55 career Cup Series victories.

"Rusty Wallace is one of the best short track racers to ever get behind the wheel and one of NASCAR's most popular drivers, champions and broadcasters," North Wilkesboro Speedway Executive Director Graig Hoffman said in the release. "We look forward to celebrating Rusty and his illustrious career with a return to North Wilkesboro for the Window World 450."

That weekend begins with a zMAX CARS Tour doubleheader on Friday, July 17. The next day, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series holds the FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation.

Prior to the July 19 race, the most recent points-paying Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro Speedway took place in September 1996.

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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 9:47 AM.