Bubba Wallace’s name has become synonymous with controversy in NASCAR circles. He seems to be a magnet for public scrutiny. His tenure in the Cup Series has been riddled with criticism for everything under the sun — from on-track performances and his efforts to promote diversity within the sport, to his appearances in promotional campaigns. A fan recently highlighted the constant “hate” as unfair since most of it is for non-racing reasons.
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“I genuinely hate that @BubbaWallace will always be hated by a sector of the fan base from non-racing reasons. They have their minds made up. They won’t ever change it,” the fan wrote on X.
I genuinely hate that @BubbaWallace will always be hated by a sector of the fan base from non-racing reasons.
They have their minds made up. They won't ever change it.
— Opinions on NASCAR (William Richard) (@nascar_opinion) January 14, 2025
The post sparked many responses, with fans insisting the ire Wallace receives regularly from the NASCAR community was not unwarranted.
“I just think Bubba is a waste of seat — nothing more, nothing less I know he brings sponsorship but his driving abilities lack,” read one of the blunt comments.
More contempt followed. “Is it okay if I dislike him because he’s a crappy, whiny driver and it has nothing to do with non-racing reasons?”
Is it okay if I dislike him because he’s a crappy, whiny driver and it has nothing to do with non-racing reasons?
— CJ Sweat (@sweetsweatcj) January 14, 2025
Another fan had a more pointed critique, highlighting Wallace’s track record: “I actually hate him because of racing reasons. He gets catered to but never provides actual results. Same with preece. Shitty driver is a shitty driver regardless of how much hype you provide.”
The hyping up is something fans have pointed out on many occasions. Recently, in a promo for the Daytona 500, the Fox on NASCAR page presented Wallace alongside drivers like Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin. It had ignited a flurry of debates about Wallace’s presence since the other drivers have achieved much more than him in their careers.
Wallace has not been able to keep the fans at bay, forget winning them over. This reality was reflected in the revealing insight from a September 2024 release by the prediction platform, Pickswise. He was ranked as one of the most maligned athletes on social media. NBA superstar LeBron James topped the list, while Wallace was placed fifth.
One fan suggested that only victories could change Wallace’s image, stating, “Winning fixes everything. Being close doesn’t count. Especially when your teammate is killing it.”
It is true that Wallace’s teammate, Tyler Reddick, who joined 23XI Racing after much later, closed the 2024 season with an impressive P4 in the driver’s standings. Wallace was way below in P18.
