"I am very disappointed": Kenny Wallace on new NASCAR Hall of Fame rules

NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to share his discontent with NASCAR Hall of Fame rules. Wallace and others spoke up after it was learned that the wife of late NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver Mike Stefanik would not be allowed to give the induction speech in honor of her late husband.

Stefanik, a seven-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Champion, died in a plane crash in September 2019. He had 74 career Whelen Modified Tour wins, and won both NASCAR Modified & East titles in consecutive years (1997-98).

After being voted into the Hall of Fame in June 2020, his wife Julie Stefanik learned that she would not be allowed to speak on Mike's behalf at the induction ceremony.

Other Class of 2021 inductees includes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer, and Ralph Seagraves.

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Former NASCAR drivers and families also weigh in on Hall of Fame rule

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also took to Twitter in support of Julie Stefanik by posting a copy of the speech she had prepared for the induction.

Earnhardt was also inducted into the Class of 2021 after a 17-year Cup Series career that saw him notch up 26 victories, including two Daytona 500s. He was also the sport's most popular driver for 15 consecutive seasons, second only to Bill Elliott (16).

Liz Allison, wife of Davey Allison, also shared her experience on Twitter after the latter was inducted in 2019. The son of Hall of Famer (Class of 2011) Bobby Allison won the 1987 Rookie Of The Year award in his debut Cup Series season. He won 19 races in Cup Series, including the 1992 Daytona 500.

Davey Allison tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash in Talladega, Alabama, in 1993.

There have been a handful of instances where someone was allowed to speak on behalf of a deceased inductee. Most notably, Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s wife was allowed to give a speech honoring the seven-time Cup Series champion when he was inducted into the 2010 Hall of Fame Class.