Herm & Schrader: "Growing Up Wallace: My 3 Daughters"

Podcast: Herm & Schrader
Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Kenny Wallace
Guests: Brooke Wallace, Brandy Wallace, Brittany Wallace

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and entertaining episode, Kenny Wallace sits down with his three daughters—Brooke, Brandy, and Brittany—for a candid, humorous, and heartfelt conversation about what it was really like growing up as the daughters of a NASCAR driver. They reflect on family dynamics, the unique realities of NASCAR life, the blend of fame and normalcy, and their deep Midwestern bonds. Listeners get rare insight into the Wallace household, NASCAR culture, and the transition from Charlotte back to St. Louis.

Meet the Wallace Daughters

[01:23 – 02:26]

• Brooke (oldest, 38): Married to Jacob, two daughters (Lottie, Mila, ages 7 & 9)
• Brandy (middle, 36): Married to Justin, two kids (Jet, Jade), only boy among grandkids
• Brittany (youngest, 35): Married to Brody, two girls (Lila, 2, and Lenny, 3 months)
• Discuss age taboos and celebrating birthdays ("I want to celebrate my birthday, like, the whole month." – Brittany, [02:41])

What's It Like Being Kenny Wallace's Daughters?

[02:47 – 07:55]

• Kenny’s Demeanor: The girls agree—Kenny is “crazy,” loving, and unexpectedly wise.
  • "You definitely are crazy...But I think there's definitely, like, a serious side to you...and I think a lot of people, what they don't realize about you is that you're very intelligent. You've, like, always taught us girls about, like, finances." – Brittany [03:09]
  • Memorable moment: Brittany recounts getting a note after over-drafting: "'You are broke,' and it had a check..." – Brittany [03:53]
  • Emotional openness: Brandy often calls Dad for advice, highlighting his reliability and loving nature. "[A]nytime, like, I need, like, advice, I always, like, pick up the phone and call you." – Brandy [05:55]
• Dadisms and Kenny-isms: Embarrassing moments in public (restaurants, random rhymes), weird catchphrases, and running gags like "Somalia" and A.J. Foyt stories ([08:21])

The Wallace Family’s Hidden Depths

[09:20 – 12:23]

• Daughters emphasize Kenny's intelligence: Memorizing tax numbers, running businesses sensibly, staying organized.
  • "I think that it's how smart you are. I think that people think that you're just crazy all the time..." – Brooke [09:50]
• Kenny’s practicality with money and teaching self-sufficiency (e.g., opening checking accounts).
• Quirky aspects: Kenny dislikes the ritual of eating out—"he just wants us to be able to eat and be done." – Brandy [11:29]
• Nicknames gas station food as "dog food." [11:56]

Being a "Girl Dad"

[12:23 – 14:03]

• Kenny gave “princess baths” with candles for each daughter at night, focusing on hygiene and making them feel special ("I want to preface this. Dad always gave us princess baths...we've always felt like the top of the world." – Brittany [12:23])
• The Wallace home was the gathering spot for all friends—"everyone felt like family at our house." – Brittany [13:41]

Childhood Among NASCAR Royalty & Family Values

[15:05 – 32:50]

• The daughters grew up surrounded by racing families:
  • Bubba Wallace, Larry McReynolds’s son, Cole Custer, and others were regulars in the house.
  • Brittany was especially immersed in the NASCAR community post-college through friendships and group chats ([15:55])
• Relationship to Racing:
  • Mixed enthusiasm—Brooke doesn’t love racing unless Dad’s competing; Brandy is respectful but not a die-hard fan. Brittany enjoyed the shop environment and camaraderie more than the races themselves ([17:13])
  • Anecdotes include playing in the shop, racing “creepers,” raiding Juicy Fruit from toolboxes, causing chaos in the bolt/nut bins.
• Parental strategies: Kenny took the girls everywhere, even to the shop, to maximize time together.
  • Sneakily eating McDonald’s against Mom’s dinner plans ([21:47])
• Importance of humility and not flaunting NASCAR wealth:
  • “We were humbled in that way where all of our other NASCAR friends...had endless credit cards”—Brandy [25:53]

Growing Up in Concord, NC – School Days, Moving Back Home

[23:02 – 34:01]

• The Concord, NC experience: tight-knit, slow-paced, country—girls were treated as equals at school, not "spoiled NASCAR kids."
• Moments of adversity: After Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s death, classmates compared Kenny and Dale ([24:09])
• Navigating the perception of privilege: Brandy felt pressure not to appear rich, “dumbing down” with friends.
  • "I always am, like, oh my gosh. I'm not going to act like I have more..." – Brandy [25:43]
• All three daughters eventually moved back to St. Louis for family, driven partly by having children and desiring closeness to their parents.

What Is NASCAR Really Like? Through the Daughters’ Eyes

[35:06 – 44:58]

• The business is tough, political, and “ruthless.” Brooke points out the constant struggle for funding and the instability ("It is all politics, I think...it is just chasing money and people are ruthless. They will cut you out in a heartbeat." – Brooke [35:35])
• Mom (Kim) was transparent about hard times: Off-seasons were filled with anxiety about job security.
• Family sacrifices: Kenny missed milestones, but daughters are empathetic ("You missed a lot, like, the simple things...some of our games." – Brandy [38:30])
• Observations of the NASCAR “scene”: Clicks among wives, status competition, and a general sense of artificiality compared to their own more down-to-earth upbringing ([44:44])
• The girls appreciate their humble, loving, and normal home life, in contrast to the background drama of NASCAR life.

Cherished NASCAR Memories

[45:13 – 51:40]

• Sliding on cardboard at Martinsville, MRO (Motor Racing Outreach) campouts at Pocono, and Father’s Day Olympics
  • “At Martinsville, like, sliding down the hill on cardboard...” – Brittany [45:44]
• Running wild in the motorhome lot, mingling with other racing kids, getting autographs for fans at the fence
• Special events: Winning Olympics with Jeb Burton and Shelby Presley; spa days at tracks thanks to Speedway Motorsports
• Hasbro trips: Wallace girls accompanied other NASCAR legends’ families for private toy testing (“That was the neatest experience.” – Brandy [53:12])

The Perks & Perils of NASCAR Family Travel

[52:51 – 55:58]

• Flying by private King Air 200 and trips to the Bahamas
• The anxiety following racing-related aviation tragedies (e.g., Greg Biffle’s plane wreck). Discussion on compartmentalizing fear and focusing on living (“If I focus on death too much, it will screw my life up.” – Kenny [55:07])

Careers, Adulthood, and the Wallace Compound

[56:31 – 65:25]

• Why did the girls return to St. Louis?
  • Brooke: Moved for dental hygiene school, met Jacob at Chicagoland race.
  • Brandy: Moved after having children; “I just can't imagine raising my kids without my parents.”
  • Brittany: Stayed longer in NC, but moved after having her first child to be close to family.
• The “party home” (Wallace family compound) was a stepping stone for each daughter as they returned; each lived there for varying times ([64:08])
• Current careers:
  • Brooke: Dental hygienist
  • Brandy: Hairstylist
  • Brittany: Works at Lowe’s corporate (eCommerce/search optimization)

Family Now: Grandkids, Disney Trips, and Reflections

[65:32 – 68:57]

• Grandkids abound and the family compound life is bustling
• Wallace daughters are officially “done having babies” and loving the chaos and support network ([65:32])
• Shared love of Disney; systematic approach to park visits ("If you don't do this, you will hate Disney. If you don't plan accordingly..." – Brandy [67:13])
• Kenny humorously acknowledges his impatience and hyperactivity would make him a poor fit for long Disney lines
• Emotional closing: Kenny expresses pride and love for his daughters as successful women and mothers in their own right (“You've done an incredible job raising those babies. I love you all so much.” – Kenny [68:57])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kenny’s Parenting:
  "Dad always gave us princess baths...we've always felt like the top of the world." – Brittany [12:23]

• On NASCAR’s Ruthlessness:
  "It is all politics, I think...people are ruthless. They will cut you out in a heartbeat." – Brooke [35:35]

• On Being Grounded:
  "I always am, like, oh my gosh. I'm not going to act like I have more..." – Brandy [25:43]

• On Family:
  "Everyone felt like family at our house." – Brittany [13:41]

• On Kenny’s Wisdom:
  "'You are broke,' and it had a check..." story – Brittany [03:53]

• On Nostalgia and Change:
  "Now when I go back there, I'm like, oh my God, did we make the right decision?" – Kenny [30:04]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introductions & Daughters’ Background: [01:23 – 02:26]
• What’s It Like Being Kenny’s Daughter: [02:47 – 07:55]
• Kenny-isms & Embarrassing Stories: [08:21]
• Family Intelligence & Money Lessons: [09:50 – 12:23]
• Princess Baths & Home Life: [12:23 – 14:03]
• NASCAR Life & Shop Anecdotes: [15:05 – 22:30]
• Growing Up in Concord, NC: [23:02 – 32:50]
• Realities of NASCAR: [35:06 – 44:58]
• Cherished Childhood NASCAR Memories: [45:13 – 51:40]
• NASCAR Perks & Plane Stories: [52:51 – 55:58]
• Moving Back to St. Louis: [56:31 – 65:25]
• Family Now & Disney Adventures: [65:32 – 68:57]
• Closing Reflections: [68:57 – end]

Takeaways

• The Wallace daughters provide an honest, warm, and occasionally irreverent look at life behind the scenes of NASCAR.
• Family, humility, and humor are cornerstones of the Wallace household, even amid chaos, fame, and adversity.
• Growing up "Wallace" means embracing the crazy and the caring, the privilege and the normalcy, and always remembering where you came from.

For the full immersive and hilarious experience, tune in to Herm & Schrader’s “Growing Up Wallace: My 3 Daughters” on Dirty Mo Media and YouTube.