"It's time, I feel it": When Rusty Wallace decided to retire from NASCAR at the top of his game

On August 30, 2004, Rusty Wallace announced that the end of the 2005 Cup Series would be his final season as a full-time NASCAR driver. Wallace's announcement came as a bit of a shock, as the then-Team Penske (Penske Racing) driver was still at the top of his game. Despite that, he decided to hang up his firesuit.

Wallace had been driving for Penske Kranefuss Racing, which was rebranded to Penske Racing in 2005, and was regarded as one of the top drivers at the time. Till 2001, he regularly won races at least once per season and had a fair count of Top 5s and Top 10s.

In the year of his retirement, Wallace finished the season in eighth place, racking up eight Top 5s and 17 Top 10s. Despite putting up impressive numbers in what was set to be his last season in the sport, he thought it was time to part ways.

"It's time. I feel it," Wallace said in 2004, referring to his retirement decision. "I know I'm doing the right thing and I feel good about it." (As quoted by The Gadsden Times)

However, prior to his retirement, he wanted to get his hands on the iconic Daytona 500 trophy and title, something he failed to claim in his two and a half decades of racing career. Speaking about this, he said,

"This is my last shot at the Daytona 500. The Daytona 500 is still the granddaddy of them all. It's the race I haven't won and I'm going to try my darndest to win it."

Rusty Wallace is the 1989 Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer. He has numerous accolades to his name, such as the 1991 IROC championship, the 1984 ASA championship, the 1990 Coca-Cola 600 winner at Charlotte, and many more.

However, his wish to win the Daytona 500 did not materialize as he finished the race in 10th place.

---

Dale Earnhardt's death reportedly influenced Rusty Wallace's retirement decision

During the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt suffered a fatal crash and breathed his last, and Earnhardt's untimely death that year reportedly influenced Rusty Wallace's decision to retire. As the Missouri-born driver wanted to retire on top of his game, he also wanted to retire safe and sound.

NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace circles the track during the running of the 1984 Daytona 500 - Source: Getty

Speaking about the same, Wallace said,

"It kind of got to me," Wallace had told the media at the Daytona International Speedway complex. "It made me feel nervous. It made me think hard about it."

Rusty Wallace participated in 706 races in over 25 years, where he racked up 55 race wins, 26 pole positions, and 349 Top 10s in the Cup Series. He also raced in the Xfinity Series for nine years, where he raced on 42 occasions, claiming two poles, and 18 Top 10s.