Bubba Wallace on Getting Booed as a Black NASCAR Driver: “I Feel Like It’s Changed”

Bubba Wallace has been a torchbearer for diversity in NASCAR ever since he made it into professional motorsports. His influence and impact in encouraging youngsters from various ethnic backgrounds to explore their passion for racing cannot be understated. One of the few Black drivers in North American motorsports today, he believes that the current state of affairs is a lot better than what it used to be.

The 23XI Racing star was on a talk show on V-103 Atlanta when he was asked about the boos that he still gets when being announced at a race track. Wallace noted that he does not know the reason for the negative reception but that he was able to see a lot of changes personally in the sport as far as being welcoming to Black drivers/crew members went.

“I feel like it’s changed a lot,” he said. “As far as being the ‘only’… In the cup series, yes. Behind the wheel, yes. But there’s a lot of different people in the garage that don’t look the same, let’s go back, say 10 years ago. Maybe even five years ago. It’s really well diverse.” Wallace admitted that there was a deficiency in diversity when it came to drivers in the top tiers, but continued to note that it was only a matter of time before that changed.

Bubba Wallace to honor military veterans at Dover on Sunday

Wallace has a longstanding relationship with the United States Air Force. The entity sponsored him when he was driver in Richard Petty Motorsports and is set to do so this year as he drives the #23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing as well. And so, when he gets to Dover this weekend, his car will feature a paint scheme that pays an ode to the Flying Tigers that fought in World War 2.

The scheme was picked with help from Wallace. He said, to NBC Sports, “(The Air Force) love to have fun and to make some unique schemes. And I push them to do that. I think, ‘Let’s be different.’ With the design having fearsome teeth painted on the hood, the car is bound to stick out on the grid on Sunday. The car will also carry the names of four Vietnam veterans – who will be present in Dover.

Wallace’s reunion with the Air Force after three seasons is a happy occasion for both the driver and the uniformed service branch. “Not to knock any other sponsors, but Air Force is probably one of the coolest ones,” Wallace said with sheer enthusiasm.