Even if you don’t know much about NASCAR, you might still have heard of Bubba Wallace. And this is mainly because of the constant controversies that follow the 23XI driver. However, whatever the world might say, Wallace believes that the only thing that he has always cared about is racing.
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In June 2020, alleged reports of a hate crime against Wallace made it to the headlines. Before the race at the Talladega Super Speedway, NASCAR officials reported that they found a noose hanging at the 23XI Racing driver’s garage. However, after an FBI investigation, it was ruled out that the noose was actually a garage pull.
And as a result, the driver received a huge backlash from the fans and media. Although Wallace claims that he never actually saw the noose or the garage pull, people still accused him of being political and pulling the race card. But it seems that Wallace does not agree with their opinions.
After the entire incident, Wallace along with NASCAR and all other drivers demanded the removal of the Confederate flag. And amidst this, he made an appearance on the Trevor Noah show. During his conversation with Noah, Wallace made it clear that he is not a political person.
In fact, he said that he tries to avoid politicizing at all costs. Furthermore, he said that he is not akin to pulling the race card. he said; “I’ve never once pulled the race card, as many people have accused me of pulling a race card. I am looked at as an African-American guy because (of) the color of my skin. I am darker – I am not white, I am not black, I am mixed.”
Moreover, the 23XI driver added that the only thing he has tried to bring in to the races is his competitiveness. He said; “I’ve always tried to bring in the competitive nature. Don’t mess with me. I won’t mess with you. Let’s race our hearts out. And that’s it.”
Bubba Wallace Jr’s extreme ‘Competitiveness’ led to his suspension
Bubba Wallace has been suspended by NASCAR for the upcoming Homestead-Miami race. Owing to his actions at the Las Vegas Super Speedway, the governing body described Wallace’s actions as a ‘dangerous act.’
This display of a bad racing spirit was slammed by NASCAR fans and the 23XI driver was forced to apologize for his actions.
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During the race, Bubba Wallace retaliated against Kyle Larson and spun his car around. Moreover, after wrecking him, the 23XI driver physically assaulted the Hendrick Motorsports driver on a live track. However, after the incident, Wallace said that his frustration was a result of the passion he holds for the sport.
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Furthermore, he admitted that his actions against Larson were not aligned with his or his team’s values. Although he refused to admit that he spun Larson deliberately, he did apologize for shaving the 2021 Cup Series champion multiple times.