Rusty Wallace vs. Jeff Gordon: The Defining Bristol Rivalry

No rivalry in Bristol history has been more talked about and replayed more than Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace’s rivalry. The veteran champion, with a chip on his shoulder, going against an up-and-coming driver heading into his prime, and whose whole image defies the typical NASCAR image, is pure Hollywood.

The 1st Incident

While Jeff Gordon and Rusty went on to have many clashes with one another, it all began at Bristol in 1997. Jeff Gordon was actually on older tires, trying to catch the newer tires of Rusty Wallace. Luckily for the rainbow warrior, a lap car was ahead of Rusty Wallace and slowing him down, allowing the 24 to catch up. That’s when Jeff Gordon did the classic Bristol bump and run, putting the bumper to Rusty in 3, moving the 2 up the track, and giving Jeff Gordon the win. After the race, Rusty sounded more disappointed than frustrated, and it would be after the race that this rivalry would really get its wings.

After stuff like in ’98 in Richmond when Rusty wrecked Jeff on purpose, they really got heated with one another. But Rusty himself said it was all payback for that fateful Bristol 97 event and having the win stolen from him. Three years later, at Richmond again, Rusty doored Jeff Gordon after a poor restart attempt to try to get second, causing both drivers to show anger towards one another after the race. Gordon was livid when he confronted Wallace after the battle. “He body-slammed me pretty good, and I got pretty mad at him,” Gordon said after collecting himself. “There was no reason for him to slam me.”

The 2nd Bristol Incident

The rivalry between the two champions that started in Bristol would also end there in 2002. It was nearly the same situation as in 1997, too. With three laps to go at the 2002 Bristol night race, both Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace came in with long losing streaks for both their standards. So they were extremely hungry for a victory and were more than willing to do anything they could for another victory. With three laps to go, Rusty was leading the now-flamed 24, but as luck would have it, lap traffic was once again slowing down the two-car, and Jeff Gordon was catching up.

Jeff Gordon wouldn’t hesitate this time either; as soon as he got behind him, he ran right into the back of him. Moving him out of the way and up the track to take the lead. Despite Rusty’s best efforts, Jeff would pull away and snap his losing streak before Rusty could. The move led to a post-race discussion between the 2, with the pair of rivals driving side by side slowly before Jeff’s burnouts. While Jeff Gordon was celebrating in victory lane, Rusty would be interviewed on pit road after he finished 2nd.

“It’s been a long time since I won, but it’s been a long time since Jeff won, too, and he wanted it bad. I guess my day’s coming. I got nailed in the rear end and got turned sideways, and I didn’t expect it. I was trying hard to knock the f*** out of him, but I could never get to him.” This was the final incident between the two ex-champions, but the implications weren’t done there. Rusty wouldn’t snap his winless streak until 2004 at Martinsville.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the 2003 season, Rusty would do something he hadn’t done in over a decade: finish out the top 10 in points, in 14th place. In 2005, Rusty would walk away from racing in the highest division of stock car auto racing, bowing out with an 8th-place points finish, as Tony Stewart, a rookie in 1999, began his 15th full-time season. Won his 2nd career title, and Jeff Gordon never won a title after 2001 either. Truly, this was the time for them to feud, and what a feud it was! Thanks a bunch for reading!