Bubba Wallace has now established himself at the top level of NASCAR racing. However, during his early NASCAR days he faced massive struggle.
Even though it was evident that he had the talent to make it onto the big stage, Wallace found it difficult to attract sponsors. For many NASCAR drivers, especially rookies, sponsors make the difference between staying in the sport or not.
Moving up the ranks proved to be the easier part for Bubba. Despite his early success on the track, he struggled to get the sponsorships that many believed he deserved.
“Off season felt almost like getting junked by Corey LaJoie” – Bubba Wallace Takes a Dig at LaJoie
He Said: “I was always trying to be different, and just be fun, and not just your average cookie-cutter NASCAR driver, you know?” he said. “I was just always out there, balls to the walls, having fun. I thought that would attract sponsors, and we were producing results. It was frustrating to go through those times…And they always said, you know, You win one, the sponsors will come.’ Well, I won about five or six and the sponsors never came.”
.@BubbaWallace was winning a long time before any sponsorship money came.
"They always said, 'You win one, sponsors will come.' Well, I won about five or six and sponsors never came."
🎧 Listen to the full Out of Office with @richkleiman — episode drops Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/heW8S4ENUH
— Boardroom (@boardroom) February 1, 2022
These days in NASCAR, Bubba Wallace has a deep portfolio, following his affiliation with 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan.
ESPN show interest in Record-Breaking Broadcasting Deal with NASCAR
“Having MJ there is super cool, and I’m just very appreciative of it all,” he said. “You definitely don’t take it for granted. Makes you appreciate those harder years, because you get to enjoy these years right here.”
Why did you even come onto the nascar scene? If it wasn’t for MJ You’d be worthless rn
Optics. Stop giving this guy the attention he doesn’t deserve. Stop making “color” the issue instead of talent. Do a story on Kyle Larson. That kid overcame a lot as well.
Sick and tired of Bubba Wallace’s poor pitiful me!!! He is a below average driver! Always make something out of nothing!! He is undeserving of the ride he has! There are a lot more and better driver that have accomplished more without a ride this year. And all you hear him say is poor me. NASCAR HAS GIVEN HIM EVERYTHING! AND BUBBA WALLACE HAS DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE IT AND DEFINITELY HAS NOT SHOWN ANY APPRECIATION! SICK OF BUBBA WALLACE!
5 or 6 what??? Certainly not NASCAR races.