“Is That a Black Driver?”: Bubba Wallace Ignited NFL Veteran’s Love for NASCAR

For Bernard Pollard, NASCAR wasn’t of much interest until and after he had become a footballing icon. After so many years of ignoring racing for its lack of racial diversity, it was Bubba Wallace who turned his attention to speed once again. Back in 2020, Pollard sat down for an interview with veteran sports reporter Jordan Bianchi where he talked about his career and then-newfound love for NASCAR, Pollard mentioned how he’d by chance noticed Bubba Wallace talking to the media and it had made all the difference.

He said, “I was like, ‘Aw, snap! I didn’t know that NASCAR had a Black driver. I’m going to look into this. I’m going to watch a little bit of NASCAR,’ because I didn’t know brothers drove NASCAR or drove cars, or whatever. He stoked my interest.”

Discussing Wallace’s move to 23XI Racing in a different interview around the time, Pollard put forward the notion that Michael Jordan joining hands with him should be hugely welcoming for drivers of color to come to NASCAR.

“I just think with him [Michael Jordan] coming into the sport, you bring a different dynamic in… People that look different. I think that’s fine. I think you’re gonna bring new viewers, which I think is great for the sport as well,” Pollard claimed.

Though only a few years in the making, his words have already begun turning into a reality.

Bernard Pollard’s affinity for NASCAR despite lack of prior exposure

Though it was Bubba Wallace that got Pollard hooked on racing, it wasn’t what made him stay. Pollard eventually became a fan of the strategies and techniques that were being used in NASCAR. The thing that surprised him the most being the flexibility that drivers have in changing their teams year-on-year.

In his words, “I’m looking like, ‘Where’s the tampering charges? What’s going on here?’. I put all of that up against what I know in NFL and it’s just cutthroat with NASCAR.”

Talking to Bianchi, he said, “At 35, I’m like, ‘Dude, I want to learn this,’ because I was just watching the crew chiefs talking, watching the drivers, and then looking at the strategy and I’m like, ‘There’s way more to this than just turning left or just standing on the gas pedal.'”

Over these last few years, Pollard has grown a liking for Hendrick Motorsports and Alex Bowman. He currently serves as a spokesperson for Ally Racing, Bowman’s primary sponsor.