Why Are Drivers and Fans So Upset With NASCAR’s Ruling on Mike Wallace?

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What’s Happening?

Monday night, NASCAR Veteran Mike Wallace revealed that NASCAR will not approve him to race in the 2025 Daytona 500. Wallace planned to enter the race with MBM Motorsports, but to his, the teams, and fans’ dismay, it appears that Wallace will not be in the No. 66 in February.

What Changed?

When Wallace announced his entry into the Daytona 500, everything was good for him to start his first race in ten seasons. However, in a conversation with NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition, Elton Sawyer, yesterday, Wallace posted on his Facebook that this is no longer happening.

According to Wallace, he had already spoken with NASCAR President Steve Phelps, which gave him the impression that he was good to go. Wallace further claims he has already undergone pre-race medical exams, been scanned for a mouthpiece, and had his seat mold poured.

According to Wallace’s brother Kenny, NASCAR claims that Mike Wallace’s “inactivity” is the reason for his disqualification from not only the Daytona 500 but all NASCAR National Series Races.

Wallace’s last NASCAR Cup Series start was in the 2015 Daytona 500, and his most recent NASCAR start was the Xfinity Series race at the Daytona Road Course in 2020.

He has a combined 809 starts and nine wins in the three NASCAR National Series. In fact, two of those wins came at Daytona, with Mike winning the Truck Series race in 2000 and the Xfinity Series race in 2004.

Following NASCAR’s decision, MBM Motorsports is looking for a sponsored driver to replace Wallace, suggesting that the veteran cannot reverse this.

This story broke late Monday night, and fans and drivers expressed their disappointment in NASCAR’s decision.

“Not Enough Experience on Dancing With the Stars”

While NASCAR fans are typically the ones to respond online to NASCAR’s rulings, be that at the track, during the week, or entering race weekend, Wallace’s fellow drivers joined fans in stepping up for Wallace online.

As fans showed support, several drivers questioned NASCAR’s decision-making. ARCA driver Brayton Laster joked that based on NASCAR decision, his opinion is that his entry into the ARCA race at Daytona should qualify him to enter the Daytona 500.

Another driver, Landon Cassill, shared his thoughts on NASCAR not allowing a series veteran a spot in the Daytona 500 but, perhaps in a show of favoritism, guaranteeing an inexperienced driver a place in the race.

What Cassill is alluding to is former Dancing With the Stars winner and four-time Indianapolis 500 Champion Hélio Castroneves, who, under NASCAR’s new Open Exemption Provisional, will qualify for the race no matter what. While Hélio is inexperienced in NASCAR, he has raced as recently as 2024 and, unlike Wallace, will start the ARCA race at Daytona prior to the 500.

While this decision shattered Wallace’s hopes for Daytona, the driver and No. 66 appear to have the community’s support.

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Kauy Ostlien

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