Kenny Wallace Shoots Down Notion of NASCAR Paying Him to Set a Glowing Narrative, Gets Fans’ Support

Kenny Wallace is not one to shy away from speaking his mind. At the same time, he has always been open to criticism. But the 61-year-old was recently accused by fans of being biased toward NASCAR, with some going as far as saying he was paid to paint a positive outlook of racing. And Wallace is having none of it.

The former NASCAR driver posted a preview of a new episode of Coffee with Kenny on X. He assured that he’d address what fans suggested in his comments about liking the Talladega race despite it being boring.

Indicating that he’d prove his point, he said, “I’m gonna bring some receipts.”

Wallace then presented the facts on the episode. As per him, TV ratings have been “soaring” and the viewership at each Cup Series race in 2025 has been anywhere between 2.6 and 4 million. He added, “Jeff Gluck, who will call bulls**t in a heartbeat, said, ‘Biggest crowds I’ve seen in Texas in 20 years or more.'”

Naturally, Wallace was taken aback when fans went at him on social media for appreciating this year’s Talladega race — one which had minimal wrecks and a photo finish according to him.

Regarding the outrage, he remarked, “I’m gonna tell you what, you thought I’d ki**ed some people’s mamas!”

Since then, the fans’ perception has taken a turn with people showing support to Wallace. One person felt that Wallace simply has a healthy outlook.

They wrote, “I believe Kenny just has a positive mental attitude, isn’t paid and wants the sport to accel. But he likes to push people’s buttons.” To be fair to Wallace, the subject is a divisive one for everyone associated with NASCAR.

Another fan thought Wallace is not bound to explain himself and that people should just enjoy his takes. The comment read, “I don’t think people deserve receipts, none of their business what Kenny does, I wish more people could just enjoy the content and your interactions like you give, not many other drivers do, or have done that. Kenny, thank you.”

For some, it would not make a difference even if Wallace was being paid by NASCAR to polish the perception of racing. One fan posted, “If you are I don’t care! Everyone has a choice to listen or not! I choose to listen because I enjoy what you have to say!!”

This goes to show that while some will always oppose, many others will still give Kenny Wallace the thumbs up. And he deserves nothing less than that.

About the author

Abhishek Ramesh

Abhishek Ramesh is a NASCAR Editor at The SportsRush. After completing his higher studies in journalism, he has combined his passion for motorsports with a keen eye for narratives within content. He considers Jeff Gordon as his all-time NASCAR hero, while rooting for Joey Logano and William Byron on the current Cup Series field. While not engrossed in NASCAR, Abhishek actively follows other racing series like F1 and MotoGP, as well as tennis and soccer. Outside of sports, he enjoys mystery shows and movies, graphic novels — especially Batman, and sports-based console gaming. Feel free to connect with him on social media to chat about motorsports or geek out over your favorite racing moments.

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