Just a year ago, Bubba Wallace found himself reflecting on his career with uncertainty. As he watched his close friend Ryan Blaney celebrate his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2023, Wallace couldn’t hide his frustration. “Sitting here on the couch questioning everything,” he admitted. While Blaney reached the pinnacle of the sport, Wallace had finished 10th in the standings, respectable, but not where he wanted to be.

Fast forward to 2025, and Wallace’s outlook seems different. Despite another disappointing finish in the Daytona 500, where he placed 29th, he wasn’t consumed by frustration. Instead, he walked into his pit road trailer with a smile. His wife, Amanda, was surprised. “She’s just looking at me…I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m good. We lost…Chill, we’re good…New year, new me,’” Wallace shared.

What had changed? The answer was simple: fatherhood. Wallace’s journey as a new dad has reshaped his perspective, not just on racing, but on life itself. He is now learning to strike a balance between being a competitive NASCAR driver and an engaged, present father.

Bubba Wallace reveals his biggest wish

For any professional athlete, finding time for family amid a demanding schedule is difficult. For Bubba Wallace, the challenge has been even greater as he adjusts to life with a newborn while competing at NASCAR’s highest level. With more than 36 races a year, this seems a very difficult task. However, Wallace aims to accomplish it. In a recent conversation with Frontstretch, Wallace opened up about the challenge.

“Right now, we’re in a hectic time because we’re packing up and getting ready to move. She’s (his wife) been working overtime to get the house all cleaned up, in tip-top shape, and packed up. I’m in meetings from Monday to Wednesday, so you really have to find the time to set aside work and be a dad, and set aside being a dad and be at work,” Wallace explained.

Despite the chaos, Wallace is embracing every moment. He admitted that fatherhood has been a mental shift. “It’s been fun. It’s a nice mental—I wouldn’t call it an escape, but just compartmentalizing things. I’ve been enjoying every step of it.” His biggest wish right now? “If we can get him to sleep like he was two months ago, that’d be great.”

Notably, Wallace’s fresh approach to racing was evident in the way he handled his 2025 Daytona 500 result. Instead of dwelling on another tough loss, he found joy in a different kind of victory—one that involved his son, Becks Hayden. When Wallace won his first Duel race at Daytona, he celebrated like never before.

While he had finished runner-up in the Daytona 500 twice, in 2018 and 2022, his 2025 Duel win hit him differently. Wallace sprayed Coke at his No. 23 crew, embraced his team owner Denny Hamlin, and most importantly, lifted his son into the air like Simba from The Lion King. Becks, dressed in a checkered flag bib and wearing noise-canceling headphones, took it all in with a calm demeanor.

This reflects that rather than letting a tough race define him, Wallace is now finding fulfillment beyond the results. While Bubba Wallace enjoys the new challenge of parenthood, he also voiced for the NASCAR garage. In a candid revelation, the 23XI Racing driver asked NASCAR to cut down the schedule.

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Wallace voices against grueling NASCAR schedule

Balancing racing and fatherhood is hard enough, but NASCAR’s grueling schedule makes it even tougher. The Cup Series is one of the most demanding motorsport championships in the world, featuring 36 points-paying races and two exhibition events. The season starts in February with The Clash and stretches to November’s championship finale in Phoenix.

For drivers like Wallace, this means being on the road for almost the entire year. In a recent conversation with Rubbin’ Is Racing, Wallace discussed the challenges of NASCAR’s schedule. “The thing is, you only get the month of December off. From the social side of things, that ramps up week one of January, and then leading up into The Clash now, you get one month off. I think we all are agreeing that it’s too long, but I don’t know if we’re ready to have the conversation of what it’s going to take to condense it the right way,” Wallace admitted.

For a new father like Wallace, this issue is even more personal. The little free time he gets is precious, and every moment with his son matters. As NASCAR continues to evolve, drivers like Wallace hope that the schedule will eventually be adjusted to allow for a better work-life balance. Share your views in the debate below as NASCAR moves to Atlanta for the Ambetter Health 400.