“It’s a Waste of Time” – Bubba Wallace Exposes the Worst Case Scenario of NASCAR’s Alliance With $180-Billion Streaming Giant

Popularization of the sport has been something that has been on NASCAR’s mind for a long time. Continuous attempts have been made to ensure that the game leaves behind the tag of being a niche sport in the past. However, according to 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace, NASCAR’s latest venture with a content-producing giant could be detrimental in the long run for the sport.

Post the Cup Series race at Indianapolis, NASCAR communicated its decision to partner up with Netflix for an upcoming show that could give people a deeper look into the drivers’ lives on and off the track during the intense battle of the Cup Series playoffs. Having been involved in such situations before, Wallace has a fair idea of how things could unwind and has voiced his displeasure over a possible scenario.

“It’s not rocket science”: Bubba Wallace urges drivers to be themselves

One could wonder about the factors that motivated NASCAR to sign up for the deal with Netflix, one of the world’s biggest businesses, valued at a whopping $180 billion. Netflix has always been searching for opportunities that could help them collaborate and bring forth stories unknown to the common mass, irrespective of field. Formula 1 can credit its popularity in the United States to the popular series Drive to Survive, and it seems NASCAR wants to follow a similar trajectory, too.

Wallace himself has been the centerpiece of one such production by Netflix that came out in 2022. Race, a series comprising 6 episodes shed light on Bubba’s struggles against racism and hate and the challenges of life in the 2021 season that was marred by the COVID pandemic. And naturally, the Alabama native has learned a thing or two about the way such things work.

Speaking to renowned Forbes journalist Greg Engle, he says that authenticity should be the base emotion of the deal. He believes that hiding certain things from the camera fails the purpose of the documentary.

“I was like, ‘look, guys, it’s only going to work if you’re yourself, if you want to shut down and say, the car was fast, car was loose, car was tight, then it’s a waste of time’. You know, everybody is not okay with being around cameras, right?”

“It’s not rocket science,” he adds, “I think a lot of people in the garage struggle with that and we get so caught up in, ‘well, we can’t let them know our secrets and we can’t talk about A, B, and C because we’re worried about X, Y, and Z’.

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The added pressure of performing on the track and on the cameras is a dilemma for some drivers. While some of them might prefer to have their own personal space and would avoid the intrusion of cameras into it, being original is what should be the primary focus for them. Bubba’s ask is quite reasonable since NASCAR is quite crude and shows a raw side to racing, which should remain unaffected by the influence of fame.

Eminent NASCAR personalities to take part in the production of the series

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To entice the public, Netflix has also decided to avail the services of someone who has been a poster boy for NASCAR for a long period. The production team has roped in NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr, who is known for his immense contribution even after his retirement. Being expressive about the issues in the community has certainly helped Junior land himself in this position.

The Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy, Ben Kennedy, will also be extensively involved in the development of the show. He will contribute as the executive producer of the show and this also underlines the priority of this project on NASCAR’s list.

In the fall of 2022, NASCAR collaborated with broadcasting partners NBC to give birth to the 10-episode docuseries, Race for the Championship. It showcased the championship race among popular drivers from the grid and involved many former champions narrating their experiences.

As for how the upcoming series will fare among fans across the world, it remains a mystery. But if the previous results are anything to go by, it will contribute largely to helping the fans know more about the unexplored territories of NASCAR playoffs.

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