In recent years, the overlap of sports and politics has become a big challenge for those involved. Athletes are no longer just figures on the field, playing the game, they have become influential voices in the public domain. The pressure to navigate these challenges can sometimes become too much to bear, especially when the whole world is watching you. Some athletes have managed to rise above all this, while some have stuck deep into the swamp of controversies.
It was a chilly evening in February earlier this year when NASCAR arrived at its most iconic venue, the Daytona 500. The cameras panned across the crowd, capturing moments of anticipation, excitement, and patriotism. Then, a tight shot, not at the President or other dignitaries or a dramatic movement, but on Bubba Wallace, with his expression neutral as the national anthem played in the background.
Seven seconds, an eternity in the world of live television, focused on just one driver, looking calm and stoic, as the world watched, hoping to catch a glance or a reaction, just enough to make everyone wonder what might be brewing beneath the surface.
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing’s driver, known for his outspoken nature and his past controversies, has come back with a fresh perspective on navigating the political minefield. In a candid conversation with Trey Wallace, he shared his mantra for dealing with politics and also criticism.
“I have said over the last couple of years. It’s crazy how you can wake up and just say like oh man it’s a beautiful day and the sky is nice and blue well you’re Democrat or oh you’re a republican. It’s like I’m just talking here you know I think everything is labeled as you know red or blue,” Wallace recently said in an interview with Trey Wallace from OutKick. “I’m a person that I just see people how they are. I want to be treated with respect so I treat them with respect. I didn’t notice the Daytona 500 moment but we have to sometimes remember that you know people are waiting for a reaction and I’ve grown up and learned a lot through my reactions and actions. Just try to stay on the straight and narrow and not give anybody a reason to talk about.”
Now, longtime Bubba fans know about his activism and political campaigning from 2020. Wallace voiced his support for the Biden administration, regularly taking up the cause whenever he could. However, it meant that he was on the receiving end of a lot of hate and criticism from fans and followers alike. Therefore, it’s no wonder the driver has taken a break from social media.
“I’m having fun with where I’m at. I’ve definitely been taking multiple steps back from the social media side and just look at it from trying to have fun with it throughout all the negativity and all the hate that’s being spewed out there daily. At the same time I look at where I’m sitting my wife and kid are upstairs, I have an incredible living and I have an opportunity in front of me that no one sitting behind a screen or a keyboard can take away from me no matter what they say. I forgot who this quote was from it was along the lines of ‘Why would I accept criticism from a person I wouldn’t even go to for advice’,” he explained.
“The sport is changing. … Whoever it was, you’re not gonna take away my smile, I’m gonna keep going.”
Bubba Wallace gives a powerful interview a day after a noose was found in his garage stall
(via @NASCARONFOX)pic.twitter.com/vCq8DnETSB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 23, 2020
His break from social media wasn’t a secret from fans. Just last year, at the end of August, the driver spoke about the changes he witnessed in his life. “Oh, it’s been so nice. Yeah it’s been so nice. Just being caught up in other people’s lives and you just start comparing. Aside from the toxic comments, social media is just a lot at times. I do miss like the photography side of it, you know, posting all that stuff. But it’s just way better for the mentals. YouTube is my best friend.”
Now that he’s a father, Wallace knows his priority is his son Beau and his wife Amanda. Beau’s birth has given him a new perspective when it comes to life. “Every day I leave, multiple times throughout the day I’m pulling up the baby monitor from halfway across the country, I’m watching him sleep and it brings me joy knowing that we have a beautiful and healthy baby at home that we both can’t get enough of.”
The person who has seen this change is his wife, Amanda. “And even Amanda, we were texting after the race and she was like ‘I’m surprised you’re not upset’ or something along those lines. But she’s used to the bad days and I’m a pain in the ass, so she was quite surprised. If it all ended today, it’s ok because I have a good family, and we’ll be fine. It just wasn’t meant to be, and I was trying to understand that pretty quick,” Wallace added.
But, it wasn’t always this way. His newfound approach to navigating the minefield of politics is a complete opposite to that of Bubba of old, where he frequently found himself in the middle of controversies.
For now, Wallace has the pressure to perform on the track.
Bubba Wallace feels the heat of failed performances
Ever since his contract renewal, the NASCAR community knew the ball was in Bubba’s court. After a subpar 2024 season, Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin kept their faith in the driver and chose to extend. However, despite a positive start at the Daytona Duels and a top-10 finish at the Ambetter Health 400 in Atlanta, his season hasn’t been up to the mark. 2 DNFs, and his most recent one coming in a race where he was headed to a strong finish in Phoenix is a heartbreaker.
Wallace knows the kind of scrutiny he’s under. Denny Hamlin made it clear when he said, “Oh my gosh, we’ve got to get more points — if we would have started that process earlier, we wouldn’t have been in a panic. I think it is for Bubba that every race is very important.”
At the same time, Wallace has NASCAR legends watching his every move. Kevin Harvick spoke about it recently on his podcast. He said, “If you don’t elevate your game and you don’t pay attention to the ovals and the road courses and you better block your whole life out for it, because if you don’t, somebody else is going to because that’s what it takes at this level.”
With the race at Las Vegas coming up soon, Wallace will be gunning for a strong finish, perhaps even a win
The post 5 Years After Ugly Spat, ‘Diplomatic’ Bubba Wallace Escapes Political Controversy With Deep Newfound Wisdom appeared first on EssentiallySports.