Kenny Wallace outlines the “real problem” with NASCAR

Kenny Wallace voiced his concerns about today’s NASCAR driver lineup compared to the old days. He argued that there’s more to talk about with the previous generation of drivers than the current ones, which he sees as a “real problem.”

Wallace himself raced alongside many of the sport’s greats. Making his NASCAR debut in the late 1980s, he competed against legends like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr., both seven-time Cup Series champions. While he never reached Victory Lane in the premier series, he did carve out a respectable career in the Xfinity Series, earning nine wins.

Now, the 62-year-old remains a prominent voice in the sport. He co-hosts the Herm & Schrader podcast with fellow veteran Ken Schrader, and regularly shares his unfiltered takes on social media. His “Coffee with Kenny” series, where he talks NASCAR over a cup of coffee, has become a platform for him to air concerns about the direction of the sport.

In an X post, he shared his latest take on NASCAR, this time on the current pool of drivers, saying:

“Here is a real problem with (NASCAR). There’s more talk about the good ole days than there are about drivers today.”

Kenny Wallace

@Kenny_Wallace

Here is a REAL PROBLEM with @NASCAR . There’s more talk about the good ole days than there are about drivers today😳

While Kenny Wallace didn't provide a full context for his statement, today’s grid still features plenty of star power. Chase Elliott has dominated the fan vote, winning the Most Popular Driver award every year since 2018.

Kyle Busch stands as the winningest driver of all time, having won 232 races across the three national series. And Joey Logano, the defending Cup Series champion, has already claimed three titles—becoming just the 10th driver in NASCAR history to reach that mark.

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Kenny Wallace shared his top three picks to win the 2025 NASCAR championship

Kenny Wallace named his top three picks to win this year’s NASCAR Cup Series championship: William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell. All three have delivered strong performances this season as they chase their first title.

In an episode of Coffee with Kenny last month, the Missouri native said:

“I'm going to go with William Byron, and here's why: because William was so consistent all year long. I mean, he had a lot more races, one than he won, but got beat [...] So I'm going to go William Byron.”

“I'm going to go Denny Hamlin just because... you got to. You got to. And then I'm going to go... God, between Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson, I'm going to go Christopher Bell. There they are,” Kenny Wallace added.

William Byron kicked off the season by becoming the youngest driver to score multiple Daytona 500 victories. He later clinched the regular-season championship, edging out fellow contenders like Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin, driver of the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, leads the Cup field with five victories, breaking his tie with Shane van Gisbergen, who won four road-course events. Christopher Bell also made history, delivering the first three-race win streak of the Next-Gen era with triumphs at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix.