Former NASCAR driver gives a reality check on diminishing “reflexes” following Mike Wallace’s Daytona 500 snub

Former NASCAR driver Rick Mast has delivered a reality check on a driver's deteriorating reflex in light of Mike Wallace's Daytona 500 disappointment. Mast expressed his view to Kenny Wallace's podcast's co-host Charlie Marlow, outlining a crossover situation when experience and reflex play inverse roles until a threshold of age is met.

Wallace, a four-time Xfinity Series race winner, recently confirmed his return to the Cup Series for a one-off effort in the 2025 Daytona 500. NASCAR president Steve Phelps initially gave the 65-year-old the green light but later showed the red, barring what was a confirmed return to the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Notably, Wallace has three victories at the venue and would've gotten another shot, had his most recent race at an intermediate or a larger track not been in 2015.

Marlow expressed that NASCAR should've given the opportunity to at least qualify for the crown jewel race. When he asked Mast's take, the former driver said he felt bad for the snub but highlighted that reflex tends to slow with age while experience grows.

"When you're 65 years old, your reflexes are not as fast, they're just not. There's a crossover point, as a racecar driver, when you're young, you got no experience, you don't know what the hell you're doing. As you got through life, you get better and better and better, you're better because you're racing more, you got more experience," Mast said (23:08).

The nine-time Xfinity Series race winner added about the "intersection" following which experience and reflexes diminish over time.

"At some point, the age of your body kicks in and your reflexes start slowing, well then those two lines intersect somewhere, where your reflexes are slowing down but your experience is going up, so totally you're still a good driver. And as age goes on and reflexes get worse and experience starts slowing down, then that overall thing starts slowing down," he said.

Mast clarified he is unaware of where Wallace would stand on the "crossover chart."

Ex-JGR driver appointed as the Daytona 500 replacement of Mike Wallace

Days after Mike Wallace's shortlived excitement was turned into a disappointing affair, Garage 66 has signed former JGR driver Chandler Smith to pilot the #66 Ford at the 500-miler. The 22-year-old emerged as the organization's best candidate, proving his mettle this past season with two Xfinity wins and a narrow Championship 4 miss.

The American previously attempted the Daytona 500 in 2023 but failed to qualify for the main race. However, with NASCAR's decision to withdraw Mike Wallace's approval, Smith has an opportunity to strengthen his Cup Series prospects.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to race our way into the Daytona 500 with Garage 66. Being in The Great American Race is such an honor, and I can’t thank QuickTie and Carl Long enough for helping put this all together,” Smith said via Jayski.

It's worth mentioning that Mike Wallace cannot race in any NASCAR-warranted event in the 2025 season, but could get another opportunity in 2026, provided the experience or circumstances change.