Fair and 71° F

NASCAR superstar Rusty Wallace is a busy man to be sure. Staying on top in a sport that's exploded in worldwide popularity isn't easy, but he's never too involved to take time out for Orangeburg area Boy Scouts. The former Winston Cup Champion (1989) was in the "Garden City" on Wednesday for the annual Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of America's "Friends of Scouting" dinner function held at the Tourville Lodge at Buckridge Plantation.

Eight years ago, Wallace traveled to Orangeburg to lend his support for what has become one of the most successful scouting fund-raisers in the country.

In that first year the event raised a substantial amount of $12,000. Now, eight years later, the annual support has become even more substantive as the donations have increased to over $100,000, leaving Wallace quite pleased with the results of the 2003 fund-raising effort. Wallace has helped the organization to raise in excess of one million dollars over the eight years that the driver has been involved.

"It's a lot of fun and we try to give back all that we possibly can," Wallace said. "We started out the first year and we raised $12,000 dollars and now we're at $100,000 by the time we're done so it's a neat deal. This city has been really good to me and has been very, very nice to me. Now every year I look forward to it."

But Wallace -- who currently stands ninth in the 2003 Winston Cup points standings -- didn't come to Wednesday night's bash alone. This time he brought in reinforcements in younger brother and fellow Winston Cup Series driver Kenny Wallace. The younger Wallace was an instant hit with local fans that have come to appreciate the down-to-earth style of his more widely known superstar sibling.

"He's wide open and he talks to a lot of people and the fans through the internet," the elder Wallace said of his younger brother. "This is our eighth year doing this and I guarantee you he'll be back to help us out next year. He said he wanted to come down here and have a good time with us."

Kenny Wallace -- who drives for weight loss supplement Stacker2, and has become visible on the sponsor's television commercials with World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Paul Wight, a.k.a. the "Big Show" -- kept the crowd of around 200 supporters entertained with attempts at measuring the true size of the massive Wight, and with a dead-on impression of racing teammate Ward Burton and an overall lighthearted and fun-loving presence.

And any event supported by his brother for eight straight years was definitely worthy of his.

"This is my first time I've been here, and Hank Jones (of Sports Designs Inc.) -- who has been a friend of ours for a long time and is an Orangeburg native -- asked me to come down," the younger Wallace said. "Anything that Rusty has been involved with for eight years I want to be a part of, so I'm glad I'm here. Rusty's my big brother, and along with my other brother Mike I'm proud of what we've done. We've had money and we've been poor and we've run the journey so far together and I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else, they've been great brothers."

Kenny Wallace says that in addition to the obvious family ties, on the race track, Rusty is a guide.

"The thing that's great about Rusty is that he's one of the best race car drivers that ever lived," Wallace said. "You say 'If I'm around him I must be doing pretty good'. He's a gauge, and any time you pick someone to be a gauge you respect them and I respect him."

William Cox Sr. of Cox Industries Inc. (formerly Cox Wood Preserving) -- a former racing sponsor of both brothers and provider of Wednesday's barbecue -- remembers the first time he laid eyes on Kenny.

"I remember the first time I saw Kenny in my office I thought to myself 'Who is this little squirt?' but when he walked out with my $25,000 I knew something was going on," Cox said. "I think that it's been great for them, but they finally outgrew us. They're some great guys."

The brothers' star power and the evening's good times aside, though, the event makes a real difference. It's become a lifeblood of support for scouting in the Tri-County area of the Edisto district. Matt Trask is the Edisto District Executive, the district being Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties.

"This event provides about 30 percent of the council's operating budget," Trask said. "Part of that money goes to the operating expenses of the Boy Scouts, but part of it goes to helping low-income scouting here in the Tri-County area. Our membership is about 600. We started bringing Rusty in about eight years ago and were raising probably $50,000, but now that's ballooned to around $100,000. That money really goes to help bring scouting into every neighborhood in Orangeburg."

Members of the Orangeburg community that donated in excess of $2,500 to the Boy Scouts, including Hank Jones, Ashton Phillips, Gary Dietrich, Frank Tourville, Bill Cox, John Hipp, Gene McConnell, Robert Gorger and Jim Roquemore, were honored with personalized Rusty Wallace Fellow Awards.

In keeping with the relaxed atmosphere, and with Rusty and Kenny Wallace so generous of their time during this week's preparation for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Roquemore -- of Super Sod Inc. and who serves as the event's organizer -- decided to give back some support of his own.

"All you folks please support Rusty and Kenny (Rusty drives for Miller Lite and Kenny for Stacker2)," Roquemore said. "I see that plenty of you already support Rusty, but you guys support Kenny too. I asked Kenny if that stuff would grow hair and he said that it would do anything you wanted it to do. Rusty will put it on you and Kenny will take it off."

T&D Region Sports Writer Mike Rosier can be reached by e-mail at mrosier@timesanddemocrat.com or by office phone at 803-533-5529.

You must be logged in to comment.