Mike Wallace to chase Daytona 500 start with MBM Motorsports
Motorsports Business Management (MBM Motorsports) has announced veteran NASCAR racer Mike Wallace will attempt to qualify its No. 66 Ford Ford Mustang in next month’s Daytona 500.
The 65-year-old Missouri native has more than 800 starts in NASCAR’s top three national series, including 11 Daytona 500 starts. He has victories at Daytona International Speedway in multiple series, including the Xfinity Series, Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series. He is also a winner in both NASCAR and ARCA at Talladega Superspeedway.
“I am very excited to be teamed up with Carl Long and the complete MBM Motorsports team, along with Doug Yates’ support, for a return trip to the Daytona 500 after being away for a few years,” said Wallace. “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.
“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. They say you have to be in it to win it, and we are rolling into Daytona with the chance to both be a part of and then race to win the Daytona 500!”
Carl Long, who operates MBM Motorsports with co-owners Rocky and Tom Smith as well as John Jackson, shared some background on how the deal developed.
“When we completed Martinsville at the end of 2024, we started the process of tearing the car down and rebuilding it back as our superspeedway car. We made the jump in November to sign the Yates engine contract for the (Daytona) 500 without knowing with any certainty exactly how it would all come together.”
In a team Facebook post before Christmas, Long explained the status of his organization and speculated on the possible Open entries for Daytona. Wallace gave the MBM team owner a call and within a few minutes, Long knew he had the man he needed.
“I watched Mike have a lot of success at superspeedways. I brought him into the JGL Racing Xfinity Series team I helped to build, where we worked together as teammates. As a driver, I know Daytona requires a great amount of mental skill to succeed. Mike has always been one of the best plate racers, and the skill set he brings makes him the best choice among drivers to be able to race our way into the Daytona 500,” said Long.
Long-time team partner Coble Enterprises, which specializes in personalized property management for residential and commercial properties has signed up to support the No. 66 team in Daytona as an associate sponsor. .
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