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Veteran NASCAR driver Mike Wallace was recently disqualified from the 2025 Daytona 500 due to not having raced in the past five years, leading to a public outcry from the driver himself.
Wallace, who intended to make a return to the NASCAR Cup season opener with MBM Motorsports, shared his strong disappointment at the decision.
Despite being initially promised a chance to qualify, NASCAR management ultimately disqualified him from competing in any national series, citing his inactivity since 2015.
Wallace, aged 65, has a long-standing history of racing success, especially at Daytona, and was shocked by the decision, feeling it disrespected his years of dedication to the sport.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Wallace is a seasoned racer with a career spanning over 30 years. He made his debut in the Busch Series and Winston Cup in 1990 and has nine wins across the Xfinity and Truck Series. Wallace has also achieved victories in races at Daytona International Speedway.
Having competed in over 809 NASCAR National Series events, with 197 of those in the Cup Series, Wallace’s track record demonstrates a deep commitment to racing, yet he has not found success in securing a Cup Series win.
After being out of major professional motorsports for several years, NASCAR took his inactivity into account when making their decision. Though Wallace sought approval in late December 2024 for the upcoming race, and had verbal assurances from NASCAR management, the decision was reversed at the last minute.
MBM Motorsports, owned by Carl Long, is also impacted by Wallace’s exclusion. They are an “Open” team in the Cup Series, meaning they don’t have a guaranteed starting slot.
Wallace’s absence leaves MBM Motorsports searching for another funded driver for the Daytona 500.
Sharing his frustration, Wallace took to social media, stating:
“It appears as I dedicated over 30 years of my life to support a national sanctioned racing series and recently made to believe verbally by the highest of management, I would be able to attempt to qualify for one of the biggest races of the 2025 Motorsports season.
“Only to be told by the highest of management again today verbally I did not have enough current experience…In his public statements, Wallace reflected on his long-standing relationship with NASCAR and his reaction to the disqualification.
“…And my 800 plus races with all that past experience and my winning success meant absolutely nothing and today I’m not talented enough to race the current cars. Even though the series is going to allow a driver with no (zero) experience in this series to be guaranteed a starting position in this world-famous race.
“Talking about shoving a knife in my heart and back at the same 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.”
Mike Wallace has posted another statement to his Facebook, obviously still frustrated about NASCAR denying his approval to race in the Daytona 500 for MBM pic.twitter.com/lliyjNeU3n
— Colby Evans (@StartAndParkCar) January 16, 2025
2025 NASCAR Cup Series Schedule
Regular Season
- Feb. 2: Winston-Salem (Clash) – 8 p.m., FOX
- Feb. 16: Daytona 500 – 2:30 p.m., FOX
- Feb. 23: Atlanta – 3 p.m., FOX
- Mar. 2: Austin – 3:30 p.m., FOX
- Mar. 9: Phoenix – 3:30 p.m., FS1
- Mar. 16: Las Vegas – 3:30 p.m., FS1
- Mar. 23: Homestead – 3 p.m., FS1
- Mar. 30: Martinsville – 3 p.m., FS1
- Apr. 6: Darlington – 3 p.m., FS1
- Apr. 13: Bristol – 3 p.m., FS1
- Apr. 20: Off (Easter)
- Apr. 27: Talladega – 3 p.m., FOX
- May 4: Texas – 3:30 p.m., FS1
- May 11: Kansas – 3 p.m., FS1
- May 18: North Wilkesboro (All-Star) – 8 p.m., FS1
- May 25: Charlotte – 6 p.m., Prime Video
- June 1: Nashville – 7 p.m., Prime Video
- June 8: Michigan – 2 p.m., Prime Video
- June 15: Mexico City – 3 p.m., Prime Video
- June 22: Pocono – 2 p.m., Prime Video
- June 28: Atlanta – 7 p.m., TNT
- July 6: Chicago street course – 2 p.m., TNT
- July 13: Sonoma – 3:30 p.m., TNT
- July 20: Dover – 2 p.m., TNT
- July 27: Indianapolis – 2 p.m., TNT
- Aug. 3: Iowa – 3:30 p.m., USA
- Aug. 10: Watkins Glen – 2 p.m., USA
- Aug. 16: Richmond – 7:30 p.m., USA
- Aug. 23: Daytona – 7:30 p.m., NBC
Playoffs
- Aug. 31: Darlington – 6 p.m., USA
- Sept. 7: St. Louis – 3 p.m., USA
- Sept. 13: Bristol – 7:30 p.m., USA
- Sept. 21: New Hampshire – 2 p.m., USA
- Sept. 28: Kansas – 3 p.m., USA
- Oct. 5: Charlotte road course – 3 p.m., USA
- Oct. 12: Las Vegas – 5:30 p.m., USA
- Oct. 19: Talladega – 2 p.m., NBC
- Oct. 26: Martinsville – 2 p.m., NBC
- Nov. 2: Phoenix – 3 p.m., NBC
