NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace snapped his 100-race winless streak last Sunday by beating Kyle Larson in multiple overtime restarts to win the Brickyard 400. With his spot in the playoffs secured, Wallace is unabashed about reminding his detractors that their words do not matter to him.
Speaking to reporters before Saturday’s practice and qualifying at Iowa Speedway, Wallace again poked at his critics by saying they have no idea how much he is winning at life.
“(They) have no idea how much I’m winning at life.”
Bubba Wallace at Iowa Speedway on his critics (via Jeff Gluck)
Related: NASCAR standings, see where Bubba Wallace sits among points leaders
- Bubba Wallace stats: 550 points, 1 win, 8 top 10s, 4 top 5s, 6 DNFs, 136 laps led, 16.955 average starting position, 18.727 average finishing position
Immediately after his overtime win at the Brickyard 400—where he became the first Black driver to win a major race on the oval track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway—Wallace was quick to call out his doubters.
While he admitted he used to struggle with boos from fans at various tracks, he has embraced support from many NASCAR fans and grown more comfortable being the villain to others. After winning his first regular-season race as a Cup driver, he also mocked his doubters by asking where they would move the proverbial goal posts next.
“I know there’s a lot of Bubba Wallace fans out there and a lot of support. They try to combat the naysayers and all of this stuff. Does anybody know where the goalpost got moved to now? Did it get moved yet? It’s rigged? Oh, of course.”
Bubba Wallace immediately after his Brickyard 400 win (H/T On3.com)
Related: Winners and Losers from Brickyard 400, including Bubba Wallace
The 31-year-old remains one of the most polarizing NASCAR drivers currently, with many fans split between loving him or hating him. One thing was clear right after Sunday’s win — he has strong support from fellow drivers.
During his cool-down lap, Wallace received a thumbs up from Carson Hocevar and congratulatory bumps from Denny Hamlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney, and Chase Briscoe. Several former NASCAR drivers also congratulated him after the race, with some suggesting the win could boost Wallace’s confidence and lead to more victories in the future.
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