Mike and Chrissy Wallace ready to make NASCAR history at Talladega

Mike Wallace understands the historical significance of getting to race against his daughter, Chrissy, in the upcoming NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. To him, though, this experience is about much more than that.

He's watched Chrissy race and work to gain a shot at a NASCAR ride in recent years. He, along with his brother Kenny, was her spotter for the ARCA race she ran at Talladega last year, finishing ninth. He watched her make her Truck debut at Martinsville Speedway last season as well.

They've only shared the track once in their careers, and that was in Legends cars. Clearly, that experience will be eclipsed when Wallace, driving for Andy Hillenburg Racing, lines up against Chrissy, driving a Rick Ware Racing truck that has an alliance with SS-Green Light Racing and is therefore locked into the race, at Talladega. The 2.66-mile track is one of the most difficult on the circuit and one known for large multivehicle crashes.

For the Wallaces, it's also a chance to get 21-year-old Chrissy in front of owners and sponsors in an effort to show how capable she is of competing at this level.

And, of course, to go head to head in a NASCAR race.

"It's just that; I get an opportunity to compete with my daughter Chrissy," Wallace said. "She is my daughter. There's not many people that say they get to drive race cars at Talladega Superspeedway with their daughter.

"I'm looking forward to a good race, as we always would, but looking for all the things that lead up to that event, all the media that has been generated around Chrissy and I in regards to the history‑making event for NASCAR.  As we have for many, many years, the Wallace tradition is very long tied to NASCAR as far as my brother Rusty and Kenny and myself and Chrissy and Steven are making a living now, and just really excited about the opportunity to show up there and be part of NASCAR history."

Obviously, Chrissy has a heralded family line. Her dad has wins in what is now the Nationwide and Camping World Truck series and races part time at the Cup level. Her uncle and spotter, Kenny, has nine Nationwide wins and has also competed in both the Truck and Cup series. Uncle Rusty Wallace won 55 Cup races and the 1989 title and his son, Steve, currently competes in the Nationwide ranks.

Chrissy has also competed in a multitude of series, including the Legends, Late Models, ARCA and the Truck series. She has six Truck starts to her credit.

Now, she's trying to develop her career and move up the ladder. And for at least one weekend, she gets to do it while racing against her father.

"The big thing for me is I need to go out there and have a solid practice and learn the track again," Chrissy says. "I've only been able to go there once, but it was with a totally different car. So I'm going to have to go there and learn how to drive the trucks there, which is going to be a little challenge at first, but I think once I get the hang of it and go through practice and everything, we'll be okay, especially if I can go out there and practice with dad.

"Racing against my dad, it's something that we've always wanted to do. It's something that means a lot to me, and I think it's a good thing for me and him both, and hopefully I'll wind up beating him."

Racing, in general, is what Chrissy wants for her chosen career. She turned down a full softball scholarship to play catcher at  Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C., to pursue her racing career.

She recognizes how difficult taking on a track like Talladega can be. But she says that's where she had the opportunity, so she's taking the chance.

Her goal for the race is simple: run as well as possible and try to secure a chance to race more.

"It is a big deal that I'm going to go there and run there, especially against my dad," she said. "My big goal in everything is just going there and running really well, catching people's eye, proving to other drivers and car owners that I can run really well. I just need the time, I need the support.  And as long as I have the time and the support from everybody, then I think I can make it."

So this race is about a lot for the Wallaces. It's not only the chance for a father and daughter to race on a NASCAR track for the first time in history. It's also a chance for Chrissy Wallace to attempt to turn in a top performance and gain the attention of those who could help further her racing career.

Right now, Chrissy Wallace only has the three races with RWR for this season. She admits that it's been tough trying to gain a ride in the NASCAR ranks. And she's hoping that a solid day at Talladega helps in that endeavor. Racing against her dad just makes the chance that much more alluring.

"I think I have got a little frustrated, and dad could definitely agree with me that I've gotten frustrated," she says. "I think I've been more frustrated at myself that I haven't been in a car than anything.

 "It is upsetting to go to a race track and see somebody else running the truck you were supposed to run or running the series you were supposed to run and knowing you were supposed to be there.  But if I get my hopes all the way down, then I know it's going to be hard to build them back up.  So I've had to keep some self‑esteem up knowing that there could always be another chance. I think that's a big deal is having Rick Ware come on board with me, prove to me that I can get back into it and I should never get down on myself whatsoever about racing because there will always ‑ I shouldn't say always, but hopefully there will always be another chance."