Making it in NASCAR isn’t for the faint-hearted. If you’re a young driver without a famous last name or a motorsport legacy behind you, the journey to the top can be an uphill battle. The playing field can feel far from level, with the spotlight shining brightest on kids already tied to the sport’s elite.

Kenny Wallace, a NASCAR veteran who’s never one to sugarcoat his words, recently laid out some more harsh truths. While his latest video celebrated the incredible performances of some rising stars at the Tulsa Shootout, he didn’t shy away from addressing what drivers trying to break into the big leagues face in their career path.

Kenny Wallace’s take: You’ve got to win to be seen

The Tulsa Shootout, held at the SageNet Center in Oklahoma, gave the spotlight to racing’s future stars, and Brexton Busch and Owen Larson made sure to deliver. Brexton, Kyle Busch’s nine-year-old son, took first place in the Junior Sprints division and snagged a fifth-place finish in the Restricted A-Class division. His on-track skills were impressive, but it was his cheerful, confident demeanor in interviews that stole the show.

In a recent video, Kenny Wallace turned his attention to NASCAR’s next generation—kids like Brexton Busch, Keelan Harvick, and Owen Larson, sons of some of the sport’s biggest names. Still, Wallace didn’t just focus on the highlights. He added a sobering dose of reality for aspiring drivers and their families. Talent alone, he emphasized, won’t get you noticed. “If you want your kid to show up, it’s a sad, sad statement to say this—but you’ve got to show up upfront,” Wallace said.

Wallace shared a lesson he learned firsthand: results matter. “They used to say this to me in NASCAR. I’d complain, ‘Hey, put me on TV.’ You know what they’d say? ‘Give me a reason to put you on TV.’” His message to young racers was clear: being good isn’t enough; you have to be exceptional. To be fair to them, they were exceptional at Tulsa, and Wallace rightfully gave them their flowers. “Owen Larson went from last to first to win,” he said, clearly impressed. “Brexton Busch? He won his race from sixth.”

What caught Wallace’s attention was Brexton’s composure in his post-race interview. “We all know that the Busch brothers (Kyle and Kurt Busch) have always been intense with their interviews,” Wallace noted. “But it appears mama, Samantha Busch, has got a hold of Brexton. What a pleasant, happy young man. Just a good interview. You could just tell he’s a different spirit.” 

In the rest of his video, Wallace outlined the importance of parenting in these young racers’ lives.

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Two dedicated NASCAR families

For Brexton, racing is a family affair. His father, Kyle Busch, also had a strong showing at Tulsa, securing a win in the non-wing outlaw and winged A-class events. Together, the father-son duo showed why the Busch name is synonymous with racing excellence. Busch said after the race, “The Lucas Oil with that alignment motor is a great combination, it was really really ripping that high side. So loved it, all is good right now, feels good.”

Brexton reflected on his big win, giving a glimpse into his racing mindset. “I tried to get to the top because I knew they were all going to be on the bottom, so I tried to get to the top, run the top, pass some people, and then get back down to the bottom,” he said.

Wallace couldn’t stop gushing about the role parents play in nurturing young talent. “These are the ones I see standing out. Mom and Dad are doing a great deal,” he said, highlighting the immense support systems behind these young drivers.

Busch has been an advocate of Brexton’s racing and has also shared desires to race with him in the Truck Series later in his career. “I would retire from Cup Racing when Brexton is 15 years old and I would go run a year of Truck,” said the 39-year-old to SiriusXM in 2023. “When Brexton turns 16, him and I can split that Truck.”

While Busch and his son both were winning races, Larson was seen taking cheeky jabs from his son Owen. Larson lost to Frank Flud in the A-Class Main Winged Heat Race. “I wanna remind him,” said Owen when asked about his dad having fewer wins than him at the event!

For kids like Brexton and Owen, the legacy of their famous parents might open doors, but their recent performances prove they’ve got the talent to back it up. For others chasing the same dream, Wallace’s advice on showing up upfront serves as both a challenge and a reality check. The future of NASCAR may look bright with names like Busch and Larson at the helm, but the question remains: how can the sport ensure it’s truly accessible to everyone, not just those with a head start?