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via Imago

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It’s no secret that 2023 has been a rollercoaster for Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing. Not only had Wallace made it to the playoffs, he finished tenth in the overall standings. Unfortunately for the 30-year-old racer, his best season so far in NASCAR began to unfold for the worse at Phoenix. He finished tenth after unintentionally ousting Brad Keselowski from the position, a move that Wallace regretted immediately.

But even his best friend, Ryan Blaney‘s win, wasn’t enough to console the No. 23 Toyota driver. Skipping out on the celebrations, Wallace headed straight for home to recollect himself in solace. After all, it’s been difficult for Bubba Wallace to shake off an uneasy feeling that’s been bothering him for the longest time. But what exactly was the root cause of the problem?

A downward spiral for Bubba Wallace

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Earlier this week, news broke about Bubba Wallace’s revelation that Ryan Blaney’s championship victory had a major effect on his psyche. The signs were already there after Wallace had taken to Instagram earlier to share his melancholic mood. Sensing the tension, Ryan Blaney phoned up the 23XI driver to enquire what was bothering him. Wallace was quoted by APNews, “He called me a couple days later and I was like, ‘Man, I guess you winning the championship sent me into depression. Like congrats, but I don’t want to see that.”

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Whilst Blaney was taken aback by Wallace’s grievance, there’s nothing like the comfort of a great friend, right? The reigning champion shared a moment from 2020 when he was in a similar boat against Chase Elliott. The Team Penske driver felt an inescapable rush of jealousy after Elliott’s title, stating “When Chase won the championship in 2020, he and I are really great friends, I was super happy for him. But I was also kind of jealous because I want to be that guy. I want to be in that spot.”

Speaking on Wallace’s tendency to downplay his skills and his season’s outcome, Blaney added, “He is just super hard on himself and you try to pick him up, right? The other night I told him ‘Man, you did great. Tenth in points, you made a good run in the playoffs.’ OK, he didn’t win, but I mean, he had a great year.”

And it wasn’t just Ryan Blaney who lent a helping hand to a friend in need. Bubba Wallace’s wife also played an essential role in keeping the 23XI driver from losing his marbles. Speaking of Denny Hamlin‘s team, the 23XI boss also revealed the role Michael Jordan has played in guiding Bubba Wallace through the trials and tribulations of being a black driver in a sport like NASCAR.

WATCH THIS STORY:  The Unspoken Regret of a NASCAR Legend

With fellow drivers, team owners, and family members all coming to Bubba Wallace’s aid, his road to recovery will seldom be lonely. However, if it’s up to the fans, their solution to Bubba Wallace’s problems wouldn’t go too well with the man of the hour.

The NASCAR community claims Wallace is the boy who cried wolf

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Under a tweet shared by AP News regarding Bubba Wallace’s comments on Blaney’s championship, the NASCAR community pulled no punches, claiming Wallace’s ‘act’ has gone too far. And that the 23XI driver needs to learn from other drivers about taking responsibility for his shortcomings.

Wasting no time to call out the No. 23 driver, fans quickly alluded to his ability to turn the conversation around every time. A user replied to the original tweet, “This guy has a unique ability to make everything all about him and his emotions.”

Turning the budding racer into the boy who cried wolf, fans pelted the comment section with the harshest of criticism. While one user shared, “This is ridiculous.’ another added,I guess this is NASCAR now. Crying and therapy”. Pointing out Wallace’s tendency to crack under pressure, another user advised, “Put on a helmet dude.”

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Some put on their inner Sherlock Holmes act to figure out what is up with Wallace’s shortcomings, “Guy can’t go very long without being the center of attention, I hope he can get his issues worked out”, whilst another was particularly stern, “Dude’s a schizoid.”

But perhaps the harshest critic of Wallace went too far, handing out the biggest reality check under a simple subtweet “This is when “everyone gets a trophy” grows up and learns the real world hands out L’s. What he should be doing is reviewing his performance over the season, find places to improve, start working on the car and get back to it!! Nope, we gonna cry and hug our wubby.”

Some others joined hands to share their support for Bubba Wallace, pointing out the hardships a driver goes through and the mental strain it creates. However, it’s safe to say the fans are growing impatient by the minute. Each time Wallace brings up his mental health, more and more of the community alludes to a character development arc as the solution.

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READ MORE: Ryan Blaney Takes Championship Celebrations to the Sky as He Kicks Back With Best Friend Bubba Wallace & GF Gianna Tulio

With the community split in their opinion on their star driver’s gripes with Ryan Blaney’s championship, only Wallace can prove to the world he’s still got what it takes. His ability to bounce back from setbacks of this kind will ultimately decide the No. 23 Toyota driver’s fate.