Rusty Wallace in Chat April 15 1999. Rusty Wallace at 3:32pm ET It's nice being online with NASCAR Online and being able to speak to a lot of my fans. Obviously this win at Bristol was a big one for us. We grabbed the pole, set a new track record, led the most laps and won. That's a big momentum builder for the team. Kelly from tamc.amedd.army.mil at 3:33pm ET Congratulation on you recent win! Were there any dramatic change on the new car "Banker" that were introduced to the car, differing from the previous cars? Rusty Wallace at 3:34pm ET There were some changes. My team and crew chief Robin Pemberton built it. The differences were it had more clearance underneath it. By doing that allowed me to run a softer spring. It's perfectly legal. We felt we could build a car that was a little faster, and they did. I'm glad to say it ran great, but I hope the competition doesn't catch on too quickly. Wayne Hays from ca5.uscourts.gov at 3:34pm ET I have been a season ticket holder at Bristol for several years now and although the poles are great, that win last week was awesome! Congratulations. How about Martinsville? I know last year there was talk regarding your 50th win and Miller doing some special things with paint schemes. Is that still the case? Rusty Wallace at 3:36pm ET Thank you very much for those nice words. We've got another brand-new car at Martinsville, which is almost identical to the car that we ran there last year. We've tested it at Greensville, and it's outrun the car from last year. Richmond and Martinsville are some of my favorite tracks, and we're real confident. We aren't going to have any special paint schemes. I know the Miller Brewing Company is planning something special for my 50th win, they're not even telling me. It's going to be a surprise. SHAWN at 3:36pm ET Do you think your team will be able to win on a superspeedway this year? Rusty Wallace at 3:37pm ET Yeah, I really believe our team can win one this year. The reason I'm saying that is how good we ran at Daytona. We led the most laps,and just lost at the end. We just finished a two-day test at Talladega and ran really strong. Me and Jeremy Mayfield posted almost identical times there and we're real confident. I think we're going to be a threat for the pole and the win. Lara from fiu.edu at 3:37pm ET Are you looking forward to the race in Homestead, Fla.? Rusty Wallace at 3:38pm ET I'm looking forward to racing there. I've been there testing a little bit last year. It's real smooth, wide and very beautiful. I always love going to new race tracks, and meeting new fans, and experiencing the thrill of victory at a brand new track. Ben Pede at 3:38pm ET How is it to drive for Roger Penske, one of the most powerful men in motorsports? Rusty Wallace at 3:39pm ET It's great to drive for Roger Penske, because he's a racer at heart. He understands uthe ups and downs of motorsports. He's constantly thinking about winning, and he's very involved. I can't imagine continuing racing without Roger as a car owner, or a partner. spaghetti eddie from netexpress.net at 3:39pm ET You are one of the drivers that was very vocal about the Texas Motor Speedway. How do you feel about the changes? Rusty Wallace at 3:40pm ET I think Texas right now is a beautiful facility. Everything they did was a plus. It's smoother, we had nice weather, no controversy. I personally found a second line, and it's a place we had one of our best finishes. I wish we could run there twice a year. Mike Cottrill from ewi.org at 3:40pm ET How much alike are yours and Jeremy's cars on race day? Rusty Wallace at 3:41pm ET My car and Jeremy's car on race day, 90 percent of the time, are close, if not identical. Except his chassis are Kranefuss, and mine our Ronnie Hopkins. That's just the chassis I prefer, I've got most of my wins in them. But our setups are very, very similar. And we always know what's in the others car. It's a very open book between the two teams. Bubba4Rusty from cas.honeywell.com at 3:41pm ET Did you get into any trouble from NASCAR for doing the Polish victory lap after winning Sunday? Rusty Wallace at 3:43pm ET No, I didn't get into any trouble. It's something I've really wanted to do for a long time. When I did it in 1993, I did it for Alan Kulwicki, and I did it for all my victories, all 10. Then I decided I'd better just let it rest in peace. Last year, I wanted to do it at Phoenix, but it was raining. And at Bristol I did it. When Alan lost his life in that plane crash going to Bristol, I won that race and did one then. I think I'll continue to do them when I win this year. Dave Brandon from ds38-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net at 3:43pm ET Do you have any plans on racing a truck in the future? It would be great to see you in that series once in a while. Rusty Wallace at 3:44pm ET I don't have any plans right now about a truck. NASCAR Winston Cup racing is so demanding, and my schedule is so tight I don't think I could do it and give it 100 percent. I did have fun when I raced one last year at Nazareth -- we qualified 7th and finished 7th. But there are no trucks in my future. Danny from 018.popsite.net at 3:44pm ET Congratulations on your win at Bristol. Was your car perfect all day or did you have problems during the race that you had to work on? Rusty Wallace at 3:45pm ET Thanks a lot. The car was doggone near perfect all day long. But we did make some air pressure changes adapting the way the track was changing. And I made a few to the front at the end, which might have slowed it down. Mark Martin then got uncomfortably close. But it was great for the fans. Terrie at 3:45pm ET What is the name of your new car for this week's race at Martinsville? Rusty Wallace at 3:47pm ET
	We don't name the new cars until they win a race. So, lets hope we can name this one this weekend. What's the name? We don't know until the very end. My PR guy Tom Roberts usually helps a lot, he gives me a lot of suggestions. Then as the car pulls into Victory Lane, he sticks his head and says, 'What do you think?' [email protected] at 3:47pm ET I've been following you since 1987 and am so proud to be our fan. How's Don Miller doing these days? And how's your son Stephen doing in his racing division? Rusty Wallace at 3:48pm ET Thanks a lot. Don Miller is doing great. He's got a bit of reduced role now, he's the liason between Penske and Penske Racing Engines. He's no longer the general manager. My son Stephen is doing real good in the Bandolero cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He's won 16 races, and he's a shoo-in to replace me someday. Paul at 3:48pm ET Are you and Mayfield as close of buds on and off the track? Rusty Wallace at 3:49pm ET Yeah, I'd say we're as close on the track as off the track. But our schedules are so busy that we rarely see each other during the week. But each Tuesday morning, we see each other for the two teams debrief meeting. He's so busy, just like I am, that it's tough to see each other during the week. Joe McHale at 3:50pm ET Just wondering how come every time something is up with a track (such as damage or rain) that the cameras always show you going to look at it or inspect with NASCAR officials. Just wondering if you are the "official driver safety liason? Rusty Wallace at 3:50pm ET I just think it's a coincidence. They always come to me and ask me what I think. Then everybody sees me. I don't think it's always a good thing. I think they just ask me because they know I'll give them an honest answer. Randy from fairchildprint.com at 3:51pm ET What exactly goes through your mind with two laps to go and Mark Martin on your bumper?   Rusty Wallace at 3:52pm ET With two to go and Mark Martin on my bumper all I was telling myself was, 'Don't screw up, don't go too deep, and don't not go deep enough.' I was just driving my line, and I just had to guard the bottom. I was lucky to be able to handle him and take him by a car-and-a-half by the Start/Finish Line. maile stoddard from lawrence-03-04rs.ma.dial-access.att.net at 3:52pm ET Out of the 49 career wins you have had, which one stands out the most in your mind? Rusty Wallace at 3:54pm ET It would probably be the first win at Bristol in 1986. I tried over 70 times to get that first one. The wins at Michigan were special. The sponsors are all there, and it's in the backyard of the manufacturers. And I'd have to say the wins at Richmond, Martinsville and Bristol have been special. Winning the Coca-Cola 600 in 1990 was pretty cool. I could talk all day about this. And this last win has been pretty popular. It's getting harder and harder to win one of these, and when you win one early in the year, it's cool. Mike2WO from lcs.net at 3:54pm ET Do you ever check any of the web sites that your fans have made about you? Rusty Wallace at 3:55pm ET I have not been able to do that yet. I'm not real good on the computers, my kids do. But I just bought a new one, so I guess I'll have to learn. I don't have a lot of time, because I'm busy at the track or the shop, but one of these days I'll have to do that. Chris from proxy.aol.com at 3:55pm ET How do you feel about the new pit system at Martinsville for this year? Rusty Wallace at 3:57pm ET I think the new pit setup is probably pretty cool. The only downfall is that the pit road speed is slow that if we pit under green we'll lose three to four laps. And if the cuation flag falls while your pitting, you might as well forget it. Although I did make up four laps last year in a pretty cool run. But I think a single pit road is something that everybody wanted. No one wants to be on the backstretch. I think all the tracks will go this way, it's just more fair. This should give everybody an equal shot on pit road, but it could be a problem on green-flag pit stops. Derf from lakes.com at 3:57pm ET How big of a boost would it be for you to win the "short track" season and then go to Talladega and win there? Rusty Wallace at 3:58pm ET It would mean everything in the world to me to win at Talladega. Like I told everyone at Daytona, it was my best chance to win the Daytona 500 and I almost did. And this is the best chance I've had to win at Talladega. We tested real well there, and I think we'll go back better prepared. Bobby Turnbow from tnt1.jackson.tn.da.uu.net at 3:58pm ET What do you think about Tony Stewart? Rusty Wallace at 3:59pm ET I think that Tony Stewart did a great job last weekend. He was just a victim of circumstance. It looks like he's one of the rising stars, just like Jeremy Mayfield. I think he did a great job at Bristol. Gregrey Smith from dayton.eri.net at 3:59pm ET It seemed like Tony Stewart had the second strongest car (next to you). Would your race stategy changed any if Stewart had not been involved in a crash and cust tire? Rusty Wallace at 3:59pm ET No, I don't think it would have been any different. I was able to stay in front of them for most of the race, and I feel I would have been able to do it at then end, too. Dan at 4:00pm ET Rusty, are you planning to make any more Adventures Of Rusty commercials? Rusty Wallace at 4:01pm ET Well, right now, the Miller Brewing Company is working hard in developing some new Rusty Wallace commercials. I've already done some new commercials for Energizer batteries, I did some neat ones for Polaris, and I did two for ESPN. You should see those Miller ads in the next few months. Rusty Wallace at 4:02pm ET We were only scheduled for 30 minutes, and that's over. It's overwhelming with 2000 people online and over 4000 questions. Next time, we'll have to do this longer. I appreciate it. Now, let's go on to Martinsville and do it again.