'Not a dime': Kenny Wallace silences trolls questioning his loyalty to NASCAR

Kenny Wallace clarified on his recent Coffee with Kenny podcast that his passionate defense of NASCAR isn't part of a PR deal, but comes from the heart. Amid criticism from fans claiming he's a NASCAR apologist, the former Fox Sports analyst fired back, claiming that "not a dime" has come his way from the organization.

The former Cup Series driver and a fan-favorite media personality was addressing accusations that his unwavering support of the sport is financially motivated. Instead, Wallace laid bare the reality of how much he's invested in NASCAR over the years, both emotionally and financially.

Wallace opened up about his supposed bias toward NASCAR on his podcast:

"So, is Kenny Wallace being paid by NASCAR? Not a dime. Actually, we almost pay them, right? Every year I used to give them a check for $10,000 to pay for my hardcard... that means a pit pass... in return, they let me race. They got this platform. All of us are making money off NASCAR. I talk about NASCAR." (9:46 onwards)

Kenny Wallace, younger brother of Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, raced in over 900 races across the three national series. While his racing career ended in 2015, the 61-year-old remains deeply involved in the NASCAR conversation through his media work, podcasts, and social media presence.

NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Rusty Wallace (2) alongside brother Kenny Wallace (55). Source: Imagn

On the same podcast episode, Wallace addressed fans who argue that NASCAR is on the decline.

"You're not going to convince me that NASCAR is doing bad when the TV ratings are up, when the grandstands are doing good, when TV is paying billions of dollars and they're selling out sponsorship. No matter what you say, NASCAR is the biggest bang for the buck," Wallace argued. (12:47 onwards)

While TV ratings for the 2025 NASCAR season are marginally down compared to 2024 overall, Wallace's broader point holds ground when dissecting the details. Across 14 races, including The Clash, Duels, and All-Star Race, NASCAR has attracted 44.6 million viewers, averaging 3.18 million per race (as per dailydownforce.com).

Meanwhile, exhibition races have seen a significant uptick. The Clash, Duels, and All-Star Race drew a 56% year-over-year boost, averaging 2.46 million viewers compared to 1.57 million in 2024.

The sold-out Daytona 500 crowd looks on at Daytona International Speedway. Source: Imagn

And although points race viewership is down 7.3% so far, the cable package has expanded, with nine cable races drawing 22 million total viewers, a 78% increase. On the ground, Daytona International Speedway announced its 10th consecutive sellout in 2025, pointing to healthy in-person engagement.

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"Let's put a little more horsepower in it": Kenny Wallace backs constructive criticism of NASCAR's Next-Gen car

Kenny Wallace speaks during the Kenny Wallace Live show at WWT Raceway. Source: Getty

Even as Kenny Wallace champions NASCAR's trajectory, he doesn't ignore the valid criticisms. He particularly singled out the Next Gen car, which has faced scrutiny in 2025 for stale racing on short tracks.

Speaking on his Coffee with Kenny podcast, he added:

"Now if you want to talk about the Next Gen car and what needs to be done to maybe make some of the races better, hell I'll go with you... I do like horsepower. Let's put a little more horsepower in it. Does NASCAR need to play with the tires a little more? Yeah. I'd love NASCAR to play with the tires a little bit more. We can go on and on about the Next Gen car." (6:31 onwards)

Wallace's comments echo a growing consensus in the paddock. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin had criticized NASCAR earlier for its package and composite structure. Though the Next Gen created a level playing field, especially on intermediates, the car's performance stagnated on short tracks like Martinsville, Darlington, and Bristol.

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) spins early in turn two at Darlington Raceway. Source: Imagn

The current 670-horsepower setup lacks torque and variability, limiting wheelspin and overtaking opportunities. Furthermore, the spec nature of the car has made track position more important than race pace, with little room for drivers to recover from a poor restart or pit strategy.

In 2025, these issues have been compounded into a string of dominant wins by Larson, Hamlin, and Christopher Bell. They have combined for eight wins in 12 races, fueling the narrative of predictability. Yet Josh Berry's surprise win for the Wood Brothers, 10 different pole winners, and 10 different stage winners show that unpredictability isn't entirely absent.

Denny Hamlin (11) leads Christopher Bell (20) and Kyle Larson (5) during the Shriners Children's 500. Source: Imagn

As one of NASCAR's most active ambassadors post-retirement, Wallace continues to speak with conviction about the sport's health, from growing grandstands to multi-billion-dollar media deals. While he admits the Next Gen car isn't perfect, he believes NASCAR is doing more right than wrong.