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Bubba Wallace: 'I Have To Win' For NASCAR To Grow

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Apr 3, 2025 10:24 PM ET

Bubba Wallace is aware of the place he occupies in NASCAR.

Wallace is the only Black full-time driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, a distinction that he believes can help him expand the racing fan base. On Thursday, Wallace appeared on "The Breakfast Club" for a wide-ranging interview that covered a number of topics related to his driving career.

At one point, one of the hosts asked Wallace what needs to happen for NASCAR to grow the size of its base. The 31-year-old competitor made it clear he thinks he can play a major role in making that happen.

"I need to win,” Wallace said. “There you go. I think that’s the easiest way to go about it. I need to win. Golf didn’t change too much, but Tiger [Woods] was dominant and created a lot of buzz. I’ve only had two wins in my eight years being in Cup. To me, that’s unacceptable.

“The way that we’ve been performing this year, last two races finishing third, two spots away from doing just that. I’ll take full responsibility in helping that.”

Wallace hasn't won a Cup Series race since 2023 and has only two checkered flags in his tenure on NASCAR's top circuit.

Obviously, he's looking to change that in the comings weeks and months.

"As a driver, you never blame yourself, so it's always somebody else's fault," Wallace said. "That's just how drivers operate. It takes a whole team to win races. It's tough. The next level after Cup level is retirement. So it's the hardest thing that you'll ever do in forms of motorsports and the path that we're on."

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - MARCH 22: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Sportswear Company Toyota, prepares to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 22, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)James Gilbert/Getty Images

With back-to-back third-place finishes to his name, Wallace currently sits at eighth in the points standings going into Sunday's race.

"A good day nonetheless. I’m trying to scratch my head on what I could have done different,” Wallace said after last weekend's Cook Out 400. “My restarts were terrible. One of my best traits, so need to go back and study that. What a great day. Continuing to rebound from the start of our season. Super proud of our group here at the 23 team. McDonald’s Toyota Camry was fast all weekend.

"That final restart, I let that second get away. I don’t know if I had anything for Denny. It would have been fun to try. But all in all, hell of a day for Toyota. Top three. That’s nice. Keep the momentum going, having fun.”

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This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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