Bubba Wallace is changing NASCAR and becoming the sport's biggest star in the process
- Over the past six months, Bubba Wallace has become one of the biggest names in racing.
- His rise to prominence came after he led the charge to ban the Confederate flag from NASCAR events.
- Taking a stand brought Wallace attention both good and bad. He told Insider that the biggest change in his life since then is that he's much, much busier.
Bubba Wallace has had a whirlwind year. The only Black driver in NASCAR's top level, Wallace was already well known within the racing world, but he shot to superstardom after leading the charge to ban the Confederate flag from the sport.
He's now one of the most famous drivers on the planet. But the biggest adjustment in his life, Wallace told Insider, comes down to scheduling.
"I think it's just how busy we've gotten," he said. "Busy before seems like a walk in the park compared to busy now. Phone bill's been going up, using the unlimited data. But I think it's all been for the better."
Speaking out earned Wallace the attention of the sports world at large, as NASCAR had never been known to be progressive — until Wallace's appeal to the racing league, the Confederate flag was a regular sight on race weekends. Since he stepped into the spotlight, however, many others in the NASCAR world have rallied around Wallace and his message, and with his newfound star-power, he has also lined up major new sponsors, including Columbia Sportswear, Beats by Dre, Cash App, and DoorDash.
In the world of racing, sponsorships can mean everything, so as a driver coming into his own on the track — Wallace is having his best season ever so far — new deals could mean new racing achievements on the horizon.
Wallace wants to make NASCAR more inviting to new fans
Wallace called for the Confederate flag to be banned from NASCAR as protests erupted across the US in response to the death of George Floyd.
"I've seen that Confederate flag so much that I actually had become quite numb to it," he wrote for the Players Tribune. "But when someone from my community says that this hurts them?? I'm gonna say, 'Take that s--- down.' It just alienates people."
Wallace argued that NASCAR should make an effort to welcome more fans into the sport. But he understood he'd face resistance.
"The minute I spoke out about removing the Confederate flag from NASCAR, I knew I was putting a target on my back," Wallace wrote.
Still, NASCAR banned the flag just two days after Wallace made his demand. That week, at Martinsville Speedway, Wallace's No. 43 car was painted with the phrases "Black Lives Matter" and "Compassion, Love, Understanding."
"I just knew that to get change and to have change inside our sport, we needed to do something that was very impactful and very meaningful," Wallace told Insider. "All races, ages, genders, whatever it may be — if there's any discrimination, we need to get that out of there."
But two weeks later, a noose was found in the garage stall of his No. 43 car at the Talladega Superspeedway. The NASCAR community immediately rallied around Wallace — his fellow drivers walked his car to its starting position on race day. An FBI investigation later concluded that the noose was not a racist attack; instead, it had been hanging as a garage pull since October 2019, though no other stall had anything similar. Overall, the finding was good news for Wallace and NASCAR, though it prompted bad-faith attacks against him, with some people calling the incident a hoax.
Even President Donald Trump tweeted out a bizarre attack against Wallace, but the driver responded with grace.
"Always deal with hate being thrown at you with LOVE! Love over hate every day." Wallace tweeted. "Even when it's HATE from the POTUS."
Reflecting on the exchange later on Showtime's "Desus & Mero," Wallace said, "I had to take the high road with the highest person in office."
Speaking out made Wallace one of the hottest names in NASCAR, leading to new opportunities
Wallace's decision to speak out not only thrust him into his sport's spotlight, it also made him a hot commodity for sponsors looking to partner with an athlete they can support both on and off the racetrack.
In the past few weeks, Wallace has announced deals with Columbia Sportswear, Beats by Dre, Cash App, and DoorDash. It's evidence of just how much athletes and brands have changed their approach since Michael Jordan famously said, "Republicans buy sneakers too" in response to a question about staying away from politics.
As Wallace explained, his new partnership with Columbia Sportswear was a direct result of his taking a stand.
"These deals don't get put together by sitting quiet," he said. "Columbia took an interest in me as I decided to speak up."
Indeed, Columbia executive vice president Joseph Boyle told Insider that the company sees the partnership as "an opportunity for us to connect as a brand with someone with fortitude, courage, and conviction to stand up for what's right."
It also doesn't hurt that Wallace is passionate about hiking, boating, photography, and an outdoorsy lifestyle — as is clear on his Instagram page.
"Outdoors is where it's at. It's my place of zen and comfort," Wallace said.
Wallace's new roster of sponsors boosts his prospects as a driver
Athletes in nearly all sports are linked up with brands in high-profile partnerships, but nowhere are those deals more important than in NASCAR.
LeBron James' deal with Nike is worth millions, but it doesn't have a practical effect on his chances of winning an NBA title in any given year. In NASCAR, by contrast, sponsors set your team and your car up for success.
Without sponsors — the brand names brandished across the cars and drivers' clothing — teams don't have money, and without those funds, they can't race. Big sponsorship deals can mean faster cars, and consequently more opportunities to win. The security of a long-term deal between a brand and a driver can take a team to new heights.
As the NASCAR season approaches the playoffs, Wallace isn't a sure bet, even though he's had four top-10 finishes.
However, if he can find a win in one of the next few races — his next chance comes Sunday at the Go Bowling 235 at Daytona — he could still grab a spot in the postseason. iIf it doesn't happen this year, more promising seasons await Wallace as he strives to reach the top of the racing world. All that's left to do is win.
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