People say age is just a number, and Mike Wallace is trying to prove them right! Veteran driver Kenny Wallace’s older brother will attempt to compete in the Daytona 500 in 2025, after taking a decade-long hiatus from the Cup Series. Competing for MGM Motorsports, the Missouri native is hoping his appearance at ‘The Great American Race’ will be a fitting tribute to his wife Carla, who passed away in 2024 after a long battle with cancer. However, not everyone feels that Wallace’s return is a good idea, especially after his long hiatus from the sport.

A prominent journalist named Nick Bromberg, who covers all things related to college football, sports betting, and racing has expressed his apprehension about Wallace’s return at NASCAR’s highest level. However, Kenny Wallace hasn’t taken too kindly to the skepticism, calling out the reporter on social media for his negative outlook.

Kenny Wallace defends his older brother on social media

The Wallace family has quite a legacy in NASCAR. It all started with Russell “Russ” William Wallace Sr., who achieved quite a bit of success in the racetrack after securing several wins in the Midwest during the 1960s and 1970s. His sons followed suit, with Rusty Wallace becoming a Winston Cup Champion in 1989 and being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame while holding a record for short-track wins. Meanwhile, Kenny Wallace transitioned into a media personality while his brother Mike competed in various NASCAR series, with his last Cup Series appearance coming in 2015.

In a tweet posted by FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass, informing fans about Mike Wallace’s intentions to participate in the Daytona 500, reporter Nick Broomberg went on to say, “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.”

In response, Kenny Wallace replied, “Would not expect anything less out of you, Nick. You’ve always been a negative reporter.” Wallace is not alone in his criticism of Bromberg as he has built a reputation of sorts.

In 2018, Jeff Gordon replied to a serious post by Bromberg on X with, “Thank you Nick. Anytime I need a dose of ridiculous media & a good laugh I can always count on you.” This was in response to Bromberg negatively talking about NASCAR’s RaceHub. Fans have also openly called out Bromberg for his negative attitude as a journalist. 

Replying to Kenny Wallace’s post, one fan wrote, “That’s why I call him “Bad Take Bromberg”.” Bromberg is evidently not a liked figure in the NASCAR community for his exaggerated takes. However, let’s see how his thoughts on Mike Wallace’s return look from a wider lens.

Mike Wallace’s Cup Series return is not going to be easy. The veteran driver has no experience competing in a Next-Gen car and the competition will be at an all-time high at a crown jewel race like the Daytona 500. As things stand, 36 charter teams will automatically qualify for the race, which leaves four open slots for the ‘open’ categories. The Missouri native must first qualify for the 500-mile event to compete at NASCAR’s highest level. That might be easier said than done, given the interest in the season opener.

Wallace opened up on his intentions of running the race after a rough 2024. “2024 was a devastating year for me with the loss of Carla, my wife of 44 years, who passed away in January from a battle with cancer. 2025 brings fresh excitement, starting with this Daytona 500 announcement.” Wallace has started the crown jewel event on 11 occasions, but this one would be the most emotional for him, as it would be the first one without his wife by his side. He added that running in this race is good for the family mentally. “Myself and my kids, we all needed a boost. We need something that would say, ‘Here’s a positive story for us, let’s go make it happen’ and this opportunity presented itself.”

The veteran driver has plenty of experience in succeeding at Daytona International Speedway. Mike Wallace won the 2000 Truck Series race at the 2.5-mile track and went on to secure a victory in the 2004 Xfinity Series race as well, which was his only triumph of the season that year. Taking these factors into account, the Missouri native could manage to hold his own at the 2025 Daytona 500, despite the odds being stacked against him.

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Mike Wallace is hoping to build on his legacy

At the age of 65, Mike Wallace will be the second oldest driver to compete in the Daytona 500 after Mark Thompson. However, the veteran must first qualify for the event, which means he would either have to finish high in the single-car qualifying session or secure a good result in one of the two Bluegreen Vacations Duel races. The last time MGM Motorsports competed in ‘The Great American Race’ was back in 2020, although they did attempt to qualify for the crown jewel event in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Sharing his thoughts about his NASCAR comeback, Mike Wallace went on to say, “I just can’t wait to work with Carl again in the first laps of practice at the World Center of Speed, Daytona International Speedway. I say it that way out of the enormous honor and respect I have for Daytona, along with all the pride and prestige it brings to myself and my team as a winner here. Fortunately, I did win the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona, so my name is etched in the history books, along with my Xfinity Series and ARCA wins at the Speedway.”

Wallace’s last Daytona 500 appearance was back in 2015 for Premium Motorsports. The veteran driver ended the race 36th in the standings, while also failing to qualify for two other fixtures that year at Atlanta and Las Vegas. He was also forced to withdraw from the race at Auto Club Speedway that year and hasn’t attempted a Cup Series race since. If Mike Wallace does qualify for the season opener, he would become the first driver to compete in five different generations of Cup Series cars. Ultimately, time will tell if he does succeed in his latest motorsports adventure.