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Mike Wallace doubles down, slams NASCAR over Daytona 500 debacle

JHby:Jonathan Howard•about 12 hours•

Jondean25

Mike Wallace NASCAR Daytona 500
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After a few days to think things over, Mike Wallace is still not happy with the decision NASCAR made to keep him out of the Daytona 500. Wallace was set to race for MBM Motorsports in the Great American Race, but now he won’t even get to qualify.

NASCAR officials feel that Mike Wallace has been away from the sport too long to be approved for Daytona. His last oval start was a decade ago and his last road course start in the Xfinity Series was a handful of years ago as well.

With no recent experience at Daytona or another high-speed oval, NASCAR denied Wallace’s entry. At 65 years old, Wallace feels as though he was done wrong. He is a three-time winner at Daytona. A win in ARCA, Truck, and the Xfinity Series.

Yesterday, Mike Wallace posted another lengthy message about the situation. He included an email from a NASCAR official that reads: “Good morning, I don’t anticipate any issues and will present to the group Jan 7. If something comes up I’ll be sure to let you know.”

“Talking about shoving a knife in my heart and back at the some time they have succeeded and I found out this current situation means absolutely nothing to them and they could care less and unfortunately his previous personal commitment to me and verbally indicating everything is good was not honest,” Wallace wrote in part of his Facebook post, via Colby Evans of The Racing Experts.

Mike Wallace spent years in NASCAR. His brothers Kenny and Rusty earned more notoriety during their time in the sport. Mike’s best days are long behind him on the track.

Mike Wallace barred from 2025 Daytona 500

Now, I understand why Mike Wallace would be upset in this situation. He felt that he was clear to give it a go and that was not the case. Wallace and MBM Motorsports should have waited until they got official approval from the competition committee.

It doesn’t take much remembering to think about the last legacy driver who got into the Daytona 500. Derrike Cope raced for Rick Ware in 2021. That situation not only put him in danger, but other drivers on the track. Cope was not ready to race. He was 62 at the time of that race.

Athletes always believe they have one more in them. Like Toby Keith said, I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was. Unfortunately, going 190+ MPH in the draft is different than trying to dunk a basketball one more time.

Mike Wallace is upset. He deserves to be upset. But looking at it from the outside in, NASCAR made a safety decision for Wallace and the other drivers on the track.