Having grown through the ranks of racing together, Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace are close friends who can regularly be spotted having fun at the cost of the other. Both drivers are sticklers for pranks and are always on the lookout to pull jokes. The reigning champion once had his close friend confused as hell through a prank phone call in 2017.
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The current 23XI Racing star was fresh out of his Craftsman Truck Series win at Michigan under the banner of MDM Motorsports when Blaney made the call posing as an interviewer for the Glass Case of Emotion podcast. While an unaware Wallace initially declines the spontaneous interview request, he eventually gives in and answers a couple of questions from Blaney and others.
However, the veil was quickly lifted after Blaney failed to control his laughter when Wallace was forced to clarify that his sponsors were in the beer industry and not music in response to a question from the podcast’s host.
Recognizing his friend’s voice, Bubba threw a string of expletives at the reigning champion and said, “I heard it in your voice at that last part, Ryan. I heard it, I’m like, ‘That’s Ryan!’ before you started laughing.”
As the hosts and Blaney continued laughing at the encounter, Wallace asked them to leave him alone before disconnecting. Though Blaney did get one better on Wallace on that occasion, the 23XI driver has been no less a prankster of his own accord.
The latest of his recent mischiefs came after Blaney’s 2023 Coca-Cola 600 win.
Bubba Wallace sends Ryan Blaney a congratulatory message
Organizing a video to congratulate his friend for the win this year, Wallace had drivers including Daniel Suarez and Landon Cassill make a cameo in it. Only, these drivers weren’t aware that it was Blaney whom they were congratulating. From their point of view, someone by the name of ‘Darrell’ was asking to congratulate someone named ‘Ryan’ for a marathon win.
Eventually, when Wallace put up the video on X, things unravelled, sending fans and the drivers into a fit of laughter.
Tried calling @Blaney to congratulate him on his win this weekend…
He didn’t answer so I hired some familiar faces on Cameo to help me congratulate him on his “marathon” instead. pic.twitter.com/dazRGtrfcG
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) May 31, 2023
Jokes aside, both Blaney and Wallace ended their 2023 season on new highs. Blaney’s championship was his first and Wallace reached the playoffs for the first time in his career. The duo have been making the most of the offseason too, with the champion just confirming his engagement to Gianna Tulio a few days back.
Hopefully, the friends will be back stronger in 2024 and continue their pranks and performance.
