“What you see is what you get.”
And what you get with Bubba Wallace is an unapologetically authentic driver for 23XI Racing — co-owned by driver Denny Hamlin and basketball legend Michael Jordan.
The 31-year-old Wallace is the only full-time Black driver in the Cup Series — he is only the second Black driver to win at the Cup level and first since Wendell Scott won in 1963 at Jacksonville. He championed NASCAR’s removal of the Confederate flag at races, a divisive topic among NASCAR fans. He also gets his share of cheers and boos at driver introductions.
Wallace, who sits 50 points above the cutoff entering the first-round elimination race Sunday at Bristol, sat down with FOX Sports during the Cup playoff media day and discussed life off the track, life that changed on Sept. 29, 2024, when he and his wife Amanda welcomed their first child, Becks Hayden Wallace.
Who is Bubba Wallace?
Man, I don’t know why I’ve been thinking about this as of late, but what you see is what you get. I walk in the room and immediately start taking jabs at you, Bob, that doesn’t change. … I like to joke around, be sarcastic. If I get one inkling of — not a weakness because that sounds bad — but something that you are strong-minded about, I just jump right in. I’m just always taking jabs, trying to press your buttons and see where your limits are. That’s me.
An exhausted Bubba Wallace celebrates with son Becks after winning the Brickyard 400.
How would [your wife] Amanda describe you?
Simply put specific, specific, specific. Bunch of beeps. That is how she would describe me.
If [son] Becks might speak, how would he describe you?
Haha. That is a great query. I do not know. Hopefully a great dad, proper? I believe we simply like to have enjoyable with him. I don’t even know. … That is a deep query there, Bob. I wasn’t prepared for that.
Did you need to do away with your drums or are you not allowed to play your drums? Or can you continue to play your drums?
We moved right into a home and I received an entire designated drum room/sport room. I set the drum arrange a few month in the past. And I ought to have an image of him sitting within the drum chair, holding the drumsticks. The throne, not the drum chair. It is referred to as “the throne.” It’s arrange and able to go, and he is really a fan. I will make beats and stuff with my arms all through the home, and he simply locks in. So I believe he’s going to be like me. My mother mentioned that I used to be beating on pots and pans once I was two, and so Becks shall be one [later this] month, which is loopy. And I believe he’ll observe that swimsuit.
You publish a good quantity of him in your socials. Are you ever hesitant to take action? It’s not that he can see what folks say?
No. I imply, hell, I’ve heard each title within the ebook about myself. So what’s new?
How has fatherhood modified you?
To not care, actually, not care what folks say about me. I’ve on a regular basis on this planet now to give attention to my child, and that is all that issues. It’s an important factor. Permitting Becks to vary my perspective on life has been one of the best factor that is occurred to me. It’s all about him. It’s a must to determine the way to survive with a baby now and ensure he is consuming proper and sleeping proper. And when he has a tummy ache, you need to determine it out. And the one method that he is telling you is by crying. You undergo these hardships as a result of you do not know what he wants. I used to be instructed that the one method that infants can talk for the longest time till they begin speaking is by crying. And so you need to develop accustomed to that and never let it throw you over the sting as a lot as he can scream and throw a match. One thing is incorrect. So it is as much as you to determine that out. And whilst you’re figuring that out, you don’t have any time to consider anything. No time to consider how dangerous the race went the earlier evening or how dangerous your season’s going. And even how good of a win Indy was. In these moments, you are determining every part about your child, and it is a good reset.
Father and son on the monitor.
You have additionally been racing Legends vehicles [small cars on a quarter-mile track] this summer time with fellow NASCAR driver Shane van Gisberben and INDYCAR driver Scott McLaughlin. Have you ever guys settled all of the dinners [for who performs the worst]?
I believe we’re settled. Rain — Mom Nature — got here by way of and saved me a few instances. So I peaked in Legend vehicles most likely 15 years in the past and by no means ought to have come again. Nevertheless it was enjoyable. It was cool to see SVG and Scottie actually get pleasure from it. The primary couple weeks have been such as you could not wipe the smile off their faces. After which as soon as it clicked, you might begin sensing the frustration of how they’re looking for extra velocity and get sooner, extra aggressive, studying the way to cross. It was cool to see that entire transition.
You mentioned that you just had heard each title within the ebook. Is there any a part of you that also wonders — how on this planet did I develop into so polarizing?
I imply, it is the apparent, proper? However I’d say from the get-go, I’ve all the time form of been very vocal. I am not afraid to voice my opinion. I am not afraid to indicate once I’m mad. And for some cause, folks need a ton of persona, however they do not need it from me. And never simply me generally, however it’s mind-boggling how anyone can get out of a automotive, undergo all of the feelings, warmth of the second, get requested a query, reply it, after which get shunned upon for displaying persona, displaying that you just care an excessive amount of and [then] you might have anger administration issues and all these items. It’s form of you are damned if you happen to do, damned if you happen to do not. And I used to actually give attention to why am I damned if I do this? I do not care. I am not going to vary for anyone. It’s full circle second to how we began this interview. That is what you get. What you see is what you get.
The pressure is robust with this one (by way of Wallace’s Instagram).
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent many years masking motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seashore) Information-Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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