When one door closes, another one opens. NASCAR took a rigid stance against Mike Wallace who was hoping to resurrect his racing ambitions. The veteran driver had not wheeled a Cup car since 2015, and last appeared in a NASCAR event in 2020. This long gap induced the sanctioning body to shut down Wallace’s dream, leaving MBM Motorsports in a fix as well. However, Carl Long’s team has a savior – Chandler Smith.

The promising 22-year-old driver is eager to embark on a new journey this year. He signed up for Front Row Motorsports’ Craftsman Truck Series team despite having an impressive season with Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series last year. Now, Chandler Smith also has a score to settle, as he sees himself demoted to the Truck Series. And a new-look MBM will help him show his prowess.

A golden chance for Chandler Smith

NASCAR’s restrictive announcement certainly came crashing down on Mike Wallace. After his spouse’s passing, Wallace was eager for a refreshing Daytona 500 run. “Well, I think it’s past heartbreaking, it’s devastating,” Wallace explained in an exclusive interview with Racing America on SI.

At the same time, the news was also a setback for MBM Motorsports. Created in 2015, the team has faced sponsorship issues for a long time. This time, however, Carl Long is determined to level up. After Wallace’s exit, MBM revamped its brand name to ‘Garage 66.’ Then it announced Garrett Smithley as its driver for the Busch Light Clash. However, the team kept the most-awaited news at bay until now – who will replace Wallace in the Daytona 500.

Carl Long’s attention fell on a driver who is in a similar sponsorship fix – Chandler Smith. Bob Pockrass broke the news on Twitter: “Chandler Smith to drive the No. 66 Cup car for Carl Long at Daytona 500.” At just 22 years old, Smith boasts a golden resume. Smith clinched 2 of his 3 career Xfinity Series wins in 2024, alongside 22 top-tens and 17 top-fives. This stellar performance landed him a top-five result in the Xfinity championship standings. Despite his prowess, Smith faced sponsorship woes – Quick Tie cut down its involvement to 15 races. Smith’s family company stepped up to help in sponsoring 6 races.

Speculation was rife about whether Chandler Smith will stop his NASCAR career or not. Some people suggested that Smith might join his family business. Smith said in 2024, “I really was preparing to go work for my dad and it wasn’t easy.” Now, however, not only is he back in the Craftsman Truck Series, but also has a shot in the Cup Series.

The Great American Race will help him prove his mettle again. Smith admitted to his excitement: “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.”

Garage 66 is also looking forward to a fantastic experience. This came especially after Carl Long’s frantic efforts.

Making the best out of it

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After NASCAR prohibited Mike Wallace’s seat, MBM Motorsports was fighting against time. The Daytona 500 was barely a month away, and Carl Long frantically looked for Wallace’s replacement. Many guesses popped up on social media, like Corey LaJoie after he posted a cryptic reel on Instagram. Yet to handle a tightly packed field featuring four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves or seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Long needed an excellent choice. “The last few days have been a whirlwind of phone calls and emails,” Long confessed.

Finally, Chandler Smith was the team’s choice. On his three Cup Series starts Smith registered a 15th-place finish in Daytona and an 11th-place result in Talladega. This superspeedway history makes him a solid prospect. Carl Long does not just want Smith to warm up the No. 66 seat, but to be a solid contender in qualifying and dazzle during the final race. “I am super pleased to have Chandler in our seat. He has friends behind the wheel of the other cars. At Daytona, we will need all the friends we can find to help race our way into the show…With Roush-Yates power and Chandler behind the wheel, the odds of Garage 66 and our No. 66 team making the event just got stronger.”

Despite Mike Wallace’s sad exit, Garage 66 now has a solid replacement. Who knows, maybe Chandler Smith will fly high at the Daytona 500 and deliver a fantastic performance.