“They love NASCAR racing”: Rusty Wallace hyped for this year’s Sturgis Charity Ride

Rusty Wallace is getting ready to hit the road for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, set for August 9. He's been a regular at the event for the past 19 years. Over the last six years, Wallace has shifted gears, using his rides as a way to fundraise for various charities, including The NASCAR Foundation, Special Olympics, and a number of local South Dakota causes.

Rusty Wallace has managed to rake in several hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, reveling not only in the thrill of the ride but also in the camaraderie with fellow bikers and NASCAR enthusiasts who flock to Sturgis.

This year’s event, officially dubbed the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s Wallace Charity Ride presented by Harley-Davidson, is set for August 9 and is sponsored by the Buffalo Chip Campground and Bar, a key rally supporter located on the outskirts of Sturgis.

Reflecting on the event and the excitement it generates, Rusty Wallace commented [via NASCAR]:

"I’ll tell you, when you get out to Sturgis, there’s over 700,000 people that will be there, and nearly every one of them are NASCAR enthusiasts. They love NASCAR racing. They love their motorcycles. They love to meet different people. They love to drink some beer and have a great time. And they love to accessorize their bikes and show up with the coolest bad-to-the-bone motorcycles you’ve ever seen in your life."

Wallace used to make the long haul from Charlotte to Sturgis on his bike, but this year, he’s switching things up. He'll be riding in an 18-wheeler that's hauling not just his Rally bike but also several bikes from Wallace’s venture with his son Stephen, Southern Country Customs.

Wallace's initial plunge into the Sturgis scene was inspired by former NASCAR President Mike Helton, who started organizing cross-country rides from Charlotte to Sturgis over two decades ago. The group often included NASCAR personalities like Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, and Brad Daugherty. Rusty Wallace joined Helton’s band of riders in 2006 and has been a regular at the event ever since.

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When Rusty Wallace turned his NASCAR fine into a memorable prank

In 1997, Rusty Wallace decided to add a twist to paying a $5,000 fine he received from NASCAR for swearing over the radio. Rather than simply handing over a check, Wallace opted for a more theatrical approach. He rolled up with a truck loaded with 500,000 pennies, of 3,500 pounds.

Rusty Wallace didn't just deliver the pennies; he made sure NASCAR President Bill France Jr. was there to see the grand reveal. When they swung open the truck's rear door, they found bags of pennies meticulously stacked. As Wallace began to detail his unique method of settling the fine, France burst into laughter.

With the cameras capturing every moment, Rusty Wallace quipped to France:

"I'm paying my fine to you in something that has some weight. All you guys, never say (bleep), at least not on the radio."

He even handed a bag of pennies to France, playfully reminding him:

"Now remember y'all. You can't never say sh*t."

The whole stunt was staged as a prank and was received with good humor. In fact, a week before Wallace's penny antics, his team, Penske Racing South, had already quietly paid the $5,000 fine to NASCAR with a check.