Kenny Wallace peeled back the curtain on his family’s racing legacy in a heartfelt episode of “Coffee With Kenny,” spotlighting the woman behind the wheel of their success: his 87-year-old mother, Judy Wallace. The NASCAR veteran sat down with Judy at her North Carolina home, swapping stories about her days as a Powder Puff racer, her unflinching parenting style, and the grit that forged three sons into motorsports icons.
From Judy’s street-smart Baltimore upbringing to her role as the Wallace family’s anchor, the conversation revealed how her tenacity became the blueprint for Kenny, Rusty, and Mike Wallace’s careers, and why she’s still “not to be messed with.”
Judy Wallace’s Grit Forged NASCAR’s Most Iconic Racing Family
Judy didn’t just raise racers — she raced. Before her sons dominated NASCAR, she carved her own legacy in Powder Puff races, short-track events for women.
“They didn’t last long enough,” Judy said of the six-lap competitions. “I can see why you guys get hooked on it.”
Her passion for speed trickled down to Rusty, Mike, and Kenny, but her fieriest trait was her straightforward approach to parenting. When Kenny asked if she felt she’d sacrificed her career for her children, Judy dismissed the idea.
“No. I’ve always been kinda open-minded,” she said. “Never driven in one particular area. Just curious about a lot of areas. But, I enjoyed that a lot.”
“Coffee with Kenny”
Meet my momma, Judy Wallace ❤️
What’s it like raising Rusty-Mike-and ME pic.twitter.com/Y9c1K1Ovbe— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace)
Her resilience stemmed from her Baltimore roots. “If you didn’t stand up, you got knocked down. That was before I was 13 years old, that early defense mechanism,” she recalled. That street-forged toughness became the family’s north star, both on and off the track.
“Mom is a complete bad***. She is not to be messed with,” Kenny emphasized.
Kenny, the self-proclaimed “spitting image” of Judy, credits her honesty as his compass. “If you cross me, I really don’t like that,” Judy admitted.
“I get in more trouble for telling the truth. I don’t lie because I don’t like to lie. It’s against my nature.”
Her candor shaped her sons’ careers, particularly Kenny’s transition from driver to media personality.
“He’s happy for the drivers he interviews that have done well,” Judy said to the audience about Kenny. “He will not throw them under the bus. You are all heroes to him.”
Kenny Wallace Credits Mother’s Roots for Career Resilience
The Wallace brothers’ bond was forged in chaos. With Rusty seven years his senior and Mike four years, Kenny often leaned on Judy as his pit crew confidant. “She took me everywhere,” he said.
“You got to have it [defense mechanism] because they’ll run all over you, Mom. They think they’re going to get you. Like I tell everybody on ‘Coffee and Kenny,’ you don’t get me. It’s because I learned from this one,” Kenny said, pointing to Judy.
“I am lucky to have my mama because she’s just awesome. She won a lot of races, and she grew up with us and took care of us boys. I love you, Mom.”
But Judy’s pride in her sons didn’t hinge on trophies. For years, she watched Kenny downplay his achievements.
“He didn’t give himself the credit he deserved,” she said. Brother Mike often reminded him, “There weren’t that many people that do what you do.” Judy’s reassurance stuck: “I knew he’d end up happy. He’s an all-round, damn near perfect kid.”