Steve Wallace: The "Dennis the Menace" of NASCAR's Nationwide Series

The NASCAR Nationwide season is now history, with Carl Edwards winning the race and Clint Bowyer claiming the championship in one of the closest points race battles ever.

These two drivers truly brought great excitement and rivalry to the Nationwide series for the 2008 race season.

But there is another Nationwide driver, one of the regulars, that has drawn attention to himself in this final race, as well as throughout the year, in a slightly less positive way.

With the season that this young driver has had, he truly could be dubbed the "Dennis the Menace" of the Nationwide series.

This driver comes from a storied racing family, with Rusty Wallace as dad and Mike and Kenny Wallace as favorite uncles.

But Steve Wallace, heir apparent to the Wallace racing throne, really is more like Dennis the Menace, leaving trouble in his wake almost each and every week.

In today's Nationwide finale, Steve Wallace again showed his similarity to well meaning, but prone to problems, Dennis the Menace by tangling with fellow racer Scott Lagasse Jr. Wallace edged into Largesse’s Incredible Pizza Chevy, turning him hard into the wall.

And this isn't the only race where mischievous Wallace has left other wrecked race cars, and upset drivers, flowing behind him. 

In fact, in almost every Nationwide race, when there is trouble on the track, young Wallace’s No. 66 Rusty Wallace Incorporated Chevy seems to be lurking right there in the shadows.

Steve Wallace has quite a history of being a Dennis the Menace type instigator.  Stories have been told about his acquiring some dynamite from Sterling Marlin, setting it off in his toilet, and blowing up the bathroom.

Wallace has also been diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome.  This malady may contribute to his propensity for trouble, in spite of meaning well and trying his hardest.

In spite of his challenges, Steve Wallace has had some success in his short racing career.  He raced in the Hooter Pro Cup series for two years with three top tens and then at age 18, was the youngest ARCA winner in the race at Michigan International Speedway.

This year, Wallace's 2008 Nationwide record, however, has been up and down at best.  He has had two top five and seven top ten finishes.  Yet, his average start this season was 20.3 and his average finish was 20.2, again not stellar results for the race year.

Many defend Steve Wallace, feeling that he is just beginning to find his way this season in the Nationwide series. 

His fans hope that he is just getting his wrecking out of his system and will eventually find the car control he needs to start winning races and moving forward in his career.

But for 2008, young Wallace has indeed been the Dennis the Menace of the Nationwide series.  Just ask Scott Lagasse Jr. and he will most certainly attest to that, especially after today’s final Nationwide race.