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TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 22: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, speaks to the media after the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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TALLADEGA, ALABAMA – JUNE 22: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, speaks to the media after the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Some people have a varied perception of motorsport racing not being physically exhausting in comparison to other sports. But there is a growing sense of realization now, as Bubba Wallace has understood over time, that NASCAR racing can be extremely testing.
Drivers these days, like all sportspersons, have a strict training regime in order to prepare themselves for the physical challenges posed on the race tracks. What’s more, mental preparation ahead of the race has taken on an even more important role now.
NASCAR races go on for almost 4 hours from the get-go, and so the endurance and focus levels become important. Bubba Wallace emphasized these aspects and touched upon his own personal experience on how exhausting it is.
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Bubba Wallace had fainted in the race at Atlanta in 2020
Speaking in an interview, Wallace was quoted as saying, “It’s a taxing sport. You’re physically clenched to the wheel for four hours straight, driving 500 laps in a car that is 185-190 degrees inside.

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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 02: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Covert Auto Group Chevrolet, walks on the grid during the Salute to Veterans Qualifying Day Fueled by The Texas Lottery for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 02, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
“A race car driver can surprisingly burn more than 3,000 calories in one race, but it’s a brutal environment. I have had my fair share of exhaustion from it and even fainted in Atlanta after a race,” concluded Wallace on the subject.
Following the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the former Richard Petty Motorsports driver fainted once and, fortunately, had pit crew members around him to help him. Following that, he became light-headed a second time whilst doing a live televised interview as well.
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Wallace excited to join 23XI Racing for the 2021 Cup Series season
Having made the tough decision to leave Richard Petty Motorsports, the former No.43 at the team will now join Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s new venture, 23XI Racing. A decision that, according to Bubba, was an opportunity he just could not turn down.

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Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) races for position along side driver Bubba Wallace (43) during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
“I’m still processing it every day. But I get to return to the Toyota Family and work with two legends in the sports world — how can I pass that by?” said Wallace.
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Bubba finished 22nd in the Drivers’ standings this year, with a best finish of 5th at Daytona later in 2020. He will hope to improve on that and target qualification to the Playoffs as a very realistic objective.
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