NASCAR veteran applauds re-opening of local short track

Former NASCAR Xfinity driver Kenny Wallace recently expressed his happiness about the opening of Benton Speedway, an old short track in his hometown. Wallace finds it heartening to see such short tracks springing up, especially when so many others are closing their doors.

Kenny Wallace hung up his NASCAR helmet in 2015, closing out a National Stock car series career that began in 1988. Over 26 years in the Xfinity Series, Wallace won 9 races and had 173 top-10 finishes out of 547 starts. In the NASCAR Cup Series, where he competed for 18 years across 344 races, Wallace didn't capture any wins but secured 27 top-10 finishes and earned three pole positions.

Kenny Wallace is the son of Russ Wallace—a renowned winner of Midwestern short tracks during the 1960s and 1970s—and has a deep passion for short tracks. His excitement was palpable when a local track in his hometown reopened. Sharing his joy with his X followers, he expressed his gratitude, writing:

"BENTON SPEEDWAY in Benton Missouri is one of those tracks that was closed for years and I want to say THANK YOU to these people for opening it back up. my objective is to show Grace and be THANKFUL because too many of these tracks are closing. SO SORRY we got rained out tonight ❤️ LONG LIVE Benton Speedway 🏁"

Earlier, as rain began to fall, Wallace had been at the track, eager to participate. He captured the moment, sharing:

"Posted up here in Benton, Missouri and now it’s pouring down rain🥴. We are trying."

Benton Speedway is a versatile venue featuring a 3/8 mile circle dirt track, a 1/8 mile drag strip, and facilities for Go Kart racing. The schedule for the track is fully booked with several events lined up. Go Kart enthusiasts can look forward to races on August 3, September 7, and October 12, 2024.

For drag racing fans, the track will host two events in August and one each in September and October. The circle dirt track isn’t left out, with three races slated for August, two in September, three in October, and the season will wrap up with an awards show in November.

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Kenny Wallace speculates Hailie Deegan's return to NASCAR

Not only does Kenny Wallace support the local short tracks, but he has also been backing dirt track drivers like Hailie Deegan. This year, Deegan began her NASCAR Xfinity rookie season with AM Racing but was replaced by Joey Logano for the Chicago Street Race, leading to her eventual departure from the team. However, Wallace remains optimistic about her potential, stating:

"We believe there's more in Hailey Degan." [at 7:06]

Kenny Wallace also speculated on her return to the Xfinity series with the Haas Factory team that will retain two Xfinity charters next year.

He said:

"I think Hailie Deegan’s going to be in second – they’re going to field two Xfinity cars." [at 8:28]

According to him, while the Cup charter seat will most likely be filled by Cole Custer, one of the two Xfinity drives might be given to Hailie Deegan by Gene Haas.