When 65-year-old Mike Wallace announced he’d attempt the 2025 Daytona 500 in honor of his late wife, it felt like a storybook chapter waiting to be written. For MBM Motorsports, the idea of Wallace piloting their No. 66 Ford was a perfect blend of nostalgia and determination, bolstered by Wallace’s extensive experience across NASCAR’s top series. Yet, as quickly as the dream surfaced, it came crashing down.

Ten days after green-lighting Wallace’s pursuit, NASCAR’s competition department revoked its initial approval, citing the driver’s inactivity at the Cup level since 2015. The news not only left Wallace’s emotional effort in shambles but also plunged MBM Motorsports and its owner, Carl Long, into a frantic search for a driver and sponsor. However, a new rumor is giving hope to MBM’s Daytona ambitions—and it involves a promising former Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) driver.

Could Chandler Smith be MBM’s next driver?

According to the NASCAR Rumor Nostalgia Instagram page, Chandler Smith, a 2024 Xfinity Series standout, might be the name to watch. “We know Carl Long has been in talks with a few drivers/sponsors to fill his car for Daytona,” the insider shared. “Right now, my best guess is Chandler Smith.”

The rumor has weight. Smith, once touted as a future star within the JGR camp, had a stellar 2024 Xfinity campaign, securing wins at Phoenix and Richmond and logging 17 top-five finishes. But despite his impressive resume, he has had to pivot. Following his exit from JGR, Smith will return to the Truck Series in 2025 with Front Row Motorsports. This move could make him an ideal candidate for MBM’s Daytona seat.

Smith’s adaptability and experience with NASCAR’s new-generation cars stand out. His 2024 Xfinity efforts proved he could hang with the best, while his youth and tenacity position him as a long-term asset for sponsors and teams looking to invest in talent. Additionally, Smith’s backing from key sponsors—a critical factor for MBM’s Daytona plans—makes this rumor more plausible.

For Smith, a chance to run in the Daytona 500 could offer redemption. After his championship hopes slipped away in 2024, taking on the high banks of Daytona in the Cup Series would be an incredible career boost. With MBM scrambling to fill its seat, Smith seems like a perfect fit—if the pieces come together in time.

Mike Wallace’s Daytona dreams dashed—and Carl Long’s latest setback

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Wallace’s denied entry isn’t just a personal blow—it’s another chapter in Carl Long’s tumultuous NASCAR journey. For Long, heartbreak has been a recurring theme, from career-stalling penalties to sponsorship disputes.

In 2009, Long’s hopes of a steady Cup career unraveled after NASCAR levied a $200,000 fine—the largest in its history at the time—for an engine that measured fractions over the size limit. Unable to pay, Long accrued a suspension for 12 races and effectively barred from the Cup garage for eight years. When he finally returned, controversy followed. In 2017, his team’s Veedverks sponsorship—a cannabis company—was rejected during a tech inspection at Kansas Speedway, forcing a last-minute rebranding to “Poker Palace.”

Despite these setbacks, Long has persisted. MBM Motorsports, under his leadership, has entered 127 Cup races over eight seasons, often as a quintessential underdog. The team’s best recent finish, 28th at the Chicago Street Race, reflects the uphill battles they consistently face. Wallace’s Daytona bid had the potential to be a feel-good moment for a team that rarely gets its time in the spotlight.

Wallace himself is no stranger to Daytona success, with three wins across the Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA Series. His fourth-place finish in the 2007 Daytona 500 remains a career highlight. Yet, NASCAR’s stringent approval process—which factors in recent racing activity—deemed him unfit to compete. For Wallace, who had been assured earlier of his eligibility, the decision felt like an about-face. As he put it, NASCAR had initially welcomed his attempt, only to shut the door on his ambitions.

MBM’s statement following the decision emphasized their resolve: “For MBM, we must regroup at this late stage with the loss of our driver and sponsor for the Great American Race. Our team is working swiftly to sign another funded driver for Speedweeks in order to still attempt the 67th Daytona 500.”

With the clock ticking down to Speedweeks, MBM’s hopes rest on securing the right driver-sponsor package. Whether Chandler Smith steps into the role or another driver emerges, the team’s resilience—and Long’s determination—will undoubtedly fuel their efforts.