Given NASCAR’s current position, the sport could benefit from having steady hands and, perhaps more importantly, a clearer sense of direction. Many fans believe the moment calls for leadership rooted in experience but unafraid of new thinking. Veteran driver and longtime insider Kenny Wallace has echoed that sentiment.
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He believes that Kelley Earnhardt Miller, the daughter of Dale Earnhardt, along with Hall of Famer Mark Martin, possesses the insight and credibility to help shift NASCAR onto a stronger path. Still, Wallace has also acknowledged that such an outcome may come with complications.
Wallace described Kelley Earnhardt as a sharp, analytical thinker with a proven track record. He also pointed to Martin’s background, noting that Martin grew up around business operations because his father, Julian Martin, owned a trucking company, which exposed him early to dealerships and the mechanics of running enterprises.
From Wallace’s perspective, that foundation would make navigating NASCAR’s challenges less daunting for either of them. He further suggested that Martin even recognized warning signs well before others, understanding that NASCAR had started drifting in the wrong direction based on how certain decisions unfolded.
Reflecting on that realization, Wallace admitted, “I didn’t see it… My defense was that I didn’t think it was a big deal cuz we went for years and nobody said a thing about it. And then all of a sudden this year, Mark came up and said, ‘There’s a reason those old NASCAR races on YouTube get such a big viewership.'”
Wallace believes that if Kelley and Martin were to work within NASCAR, their influence could bring meaningful change. He argued that Kelley, in particular, brings executive capabilities that few can match. She currently oversees race teams, manages employees, and works closely with sponsorship partners. Those responsibilities, in Wallace’s view, leave little doubt about her qualifications.
He even suggested that she may be overqualified, given the depth of her knowledge and experience, to the point where prolonged exposure to NASCAR’s internal politics could risk leaving her disillusioned.
That perspective, Wallace explained, stresses why fresh thinking matters. He stated, “That’s what (bring a fresh perspective with a fresh mind) Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Mark Martin could do for NASCAR.” At the same time, he tempered expectations by questioning whether either individual would actually want such a role.
He added, “While we dream that they would be great for NASCAR, I don’t think he’d want that job. Us: fans, we’d love it. But I think both of them, I think Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Mark Martin are millionaires over and over as it is right now…”
Wallace did not dispute their potential impact. He openly acknowledged that Kelley and Martin could help stabilize and improve the sport if they chose to step in. He floated the idea that their involvement might not require a traditional office presence.
Instead, they could contribute through periodic phone calls, virtual meetings, or advisory conversations, offering NASCAR their perspective without assuming the full burden of daily operational responsibility.
Even so, Wallace recognized the reality of their current lives. Both already carry significant commitments and responsibilities. Adding NASCAR’s demands to that list would require a level of investment that seems improbable.
As much as fans may hope for their leadership, Wallace concluded that it remains unlikely either would take on NASCAR’s challenges alongside everything they already manage.
