Not every noise is a cheer in the world of high-speed turns and thunderous engines. Bubba Wallace, the NASCAR Cup Series driver known as much for his driving as his outspoken nature, faced a roaring wave of boos during his introduction at the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Wallace, who has frequently been at the center of controversy for his candid takes on various social issues, didn’t miss a beat as he walked onto the stage. The boos from the crowd echoed around the racetrack, a stark contrast to the usual cheers one might expect at such a festive event.
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
After the race this weekend, Wallace took to social media where he acknowledged the boos with a grin, jokingly lamenting that he didn’t snag the fan-voted spot in the main event. “Guess who lost the fan vote,” he wrote.
Guess who lost the fan vote 💀🤣 pic.twitter.com/sf7kcpmzz7
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) May 20, 2024
Wallace has faced significant backlash as a driver in NASCAR’s top series. In June 2020, he was thrust into the national spotlight when a so-called “noose” was found in his garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway. Wallace, the only full-time African American driver in NASCAR’s top series, had been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and had successfully pushed for NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its events.
The discovery of the noose was initially perceived as a hate crime, leading to an FBI investigation. However, the investigation concluded that the rope had been in the garage since the previous year and was not targeted at Wallace, or anyone else. Despite the finding that it was not a hate crime aimed at him, the incident drew significant media attention for the lie.
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
#NASCAR … Crowd reaction to Bubba Wallace in drivers intros at North Wilkesboro pic.twitter.com/GoXxduD4PA
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) May 20, 2024
