Wallace, 65, was attempting to compete in his first NASCAR Cup Series race since 2015.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β NASCAR has disqualified Mike Wallace from attempting to race in February’s Daytona 500.
Wallace, 65, was scheduled to qualify for the Great American Race with MBM Motorsports. The team announced Wallace’s one-race deal with the team earlier this month.
NASCAR said on Monday that Wallace was not approved for the race because of a lack of recent racing activity and performance. Wallace’s last NASCAR Cup Series race was in the 2015 Daytona 500. His last NASCAR race was in 2020 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“We are devastated for Mike and the Wallace family that this opportunity will not come to fruition,” MBM Motorsports wrote in a social media post. “For MBM, we must regroup at this late stage with the loss of our driver and sponsor for The Great American Race.”
Wallace also took to social media to voice his disappointment, saying the decision was a complete reversal of how he was received by NASCAR officials when he announced he would attempt to make the race.
“This comes as a total shock as the President of NASCAR last week in a real phone call told me all was good and he will see me in Daytona,” Wallace said.
MBM Motorsports is owned by Carl Long, a former NASCAR driver. The team said it intends to field another driver to attempt to qualify for the race. MBM runs on a part-time schedule in the Cup Series.
The MBM entry is one of five open car teams confirmed to be attempting to make the Daytona 500. There are 36 cars locked into the race through charter agreements with an extra four open teams making the show through qualifying or the duel races.Β
J.J. Yeley, BJ McLeod, Helio Castroneves, and an unnamed driver for Beard Motorsports are the other confirmed open entries. Former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. has been rumored to be interested in competing in the race but no rides have been confirmed. Rick Ware Racing’s No. 15 entry and Legacy Motor Club’s No. 84 ride for Jimmie Johnson are also possibilities.
