NASCAR Blocks Mike Wallace's Daytona 500 Comeback Over Racing Hiatus

The decision leaves MBM Motorsports scrambling for a new driver and reignites scrutiny of NASCAR's history with small teams.

Veteran driver Mike Wallace, 65, was denied approval to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500 due to his lack of recent superspeedway racing experience.
Wallace's last NASCAR-sanctioned race was in 2020 on a road course, and his last superspeedway race was in 2015 at Daytona.
The decision has left MBM Motorsports, Wallace's team, urgently searching for a replacement driver and sponsors for their Daytona 500 entry.
Fans and commentators have drawn parallels between this decision and NASCAR's contentious past with Carl Long, MBM's team owner, including a massive fine in 2009 that sidelined Long for years.
Some speculate that the move reflects broader challenges faced by smaller teams in NASCAR, exacerbated by the sport's charter system and policies favoring larger, well-funded teams.