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Mike Wallace, brother of Kenny Wallace is set to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500 with MBM Motorsports. Following the news, journalist Nick Bromberg made a 'controversial' remark, expressing concern about Mike Wallace's participation owing to his age and lack of current experience in NASCAR races. Bromberg's comments irked fans on social media, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their reactions.
Reposting Pockrass' tweet about Mike's return to the Indy 500, journalist Nick Bromberg claimed that Mike shouldn’t get automatic approval to race in the Daytona 500 this year, writing:
"I'm sure this will be controversial, but a 65-year-old who hasn't competed in a Cup Series race or a top-3 series NASCAR race on an oval since 2015 and last raced in a top-3 series NASCAR race overall in 2020 probably shouldn't get automatic approval to attempt the Daytona 500."
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Following this, Mike's brother Kenny Wallace came to his rescue by claiming that Nick has always been a 'negative' reporter
"Would not expect anything less out of you, Nick. You’ve always been a negative reporter."
Several fans responded to Kenny Wallace's tweet and backed him, with one fan writing:
“Nascar needs positive reporting in all of the 4 levels of racing.”
"Being 65 absolutely means something when it’s a fact your reflexes and reaction times slow. You know. Two important things at a super speedway," another fan wrote.
While the outlook to this move by Kenny Wallace's brother, Mike has been received positively for the most part, some fans did show reservations about him racing at 65.
"IDK? If the car is up to speed, I like experienced drivers best on the plate tracks. It’s not like wheelin a road course physically, more of a mental deal. Good luck Mike," the fan opined.
"I know who Kenny and Mike are, but I've never heard of this Nick guy." another fan said.
A fan even went on to claim that Mike is the best runner on a superspeedway out of the two brothers-
Overall, the announcement has been met with mixed reactions, from both fans and experts. In a recent conversation with his brother Kenny Wallace, Mike opened up on the reason behind wanting to make a return to Indy 500.
Kenny Wallace's brother Mike discusses reason behind his return to racing: "I don't know if I quit. I say I just stepped back from it"
Mike Wallace, while speaking to brother Kenny Wallace on his podcast revealed the reason behind his return to the Daytona 500, with MBM Motorsports. Mike’s wife, Carla passed away due to cancer in 2024, after 44 years of marriage.
This loss left the Wallace family highly disturbed and looking for some positive reinforcement out of the year 2025. Mike discussed stepping away from racing to care for his wife, and after her passing, he wanted to return to the track.
"I mean this is the sincere honest truth I had stepped away from the sport for a couple years, I was focusing on the health of my wife Carla who unfortunately passed away in January of 2024," Mike said (2:51 onwards).
"This opportunity came up and I wasn't done racing, you know people say, 'oh you quit,' and I said, 'I don't know if I quit.' I say, 'I just stepped back from it,' so, that's it. I mean, I'm ready to get pumped up, I'm motivated for 2025. It's a new part of life for me totally and what better way to start it than a place that I love to race," he added.
Mike has participated in 197 Cup Series races over 20 years, with a career-best finish of 33rd in the standings in 1994. He has also competed in 497 Xfinity Series races, winning four times, and has five wins in 115 Truck Series starts. Wallace finished 4th in the 2007 Daytona 500, his best performance in this NASCAR event.
His return in 2025, to drive the No. 66 Ford for MBM Motorsports, potentially makes him the first driver to race with five generations of Cup Series cars, since his debut in Generation 3 in 1991. The last time Wallace raced in the Daytona 500 was way back in 2015.
Returning to this track after a gap of 10 years, at the age of 65, inches Mike Wallace closer to Mark Thompson, who took part in the Daytona 500 at the age of 66, which is the oldest for any driver to have driven on the circuit.
