Garage 66 finds new driver after Mike Wallace's entry was rejected

Today at 02:23 AM

Garage 66 is heading to the Daytona 500 with Chandler Smith

MBM Motorsports originally signed Mike Wallace to race for them in the upcoming Daytona 500. NASCAR stepped in and rejected the entry.

NASCAR blocks Mike Wallace from racing in the Daytona 500

Since then, MBM Motorsports has had a name change. The team is now called Garage 66. Carl Long continues to own the team along with co-owners Rocky and Tom Smith as well as John Jackson.

Chandler Smith has now been signed to race in the Daytona 500 with Garage 66. He’ll drive the No. 66 QuickTie Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Coble Enterprises will serve as an associate sponsor.

The 22-year-old from Talking Rock, Georgia ran three NASCAR Cup Series races in 2024 with Kaulig Racing. He picked up a best-finish of 11th via Talladega Superspeedway.

Chandler Smith comments

"I'm very excited for the opportunity to race our way into the Daytona 500 with Garage 66,” Smith opened in the team release.

“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.”

Smith is signed to race full -time in the NASCAR Truck Series for the 2025 season with Front Row Motorsports.

Carl Long comments

"The last few days have been a whirlwind of phone calls and emails after Mike Wallace was not approved to be the driver of our Daytona 500 entry," said Long.

“After several days of non-stop communication with available drivers who could race a Ford, the pieces came together to place Chandler Smith in our car.”

"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! There are a lot of really quality cars attempting this race, which could easily make the most exciting part of the 2025 Daytona 500 the race to be in the race.”

“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."

The Daytona 500 takes place on February 16th.

Carl Long creates a list of 10 possible open cars for the Daytona 500

Links

Chandler Smith | Mike Wallace | MBM Motorsports | Daytona International Speedway | NASCAR

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