Darrell Wallace Jr., who will become the first black driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 11 years when he takes the green flag Sunday at Pocono Raceway, wants to bring a more diverse fan base to a sport that he says is welcoming of all races and ethnicities.
Wallace, nicknamed "Bubba," has been known to NASCAR fans for several years. In 2010, he drove as part of the NASCAR diversity program on a regional racing circuit. He has used negative racial gestures and comments -- "the stupidity," as he calls it -- as motivation but says he doesn't see them enough to view NASCAR as an inhospitable place.
"That [unaccepting perception] has been shut down a long time ago," Wallace said during a teleconference Tuesday.
To become fans of the sport, people just have to do a little legwork, he said.
"It's just a matter of finding what racetrack is in your area, going out and purchasing a ticket -- checking the weather, see if it's not too hot -- but just coming out and enjoying the sport.
"I think that's more so the fans, the attendees, that are making that call, of wanting to just come out and enjoy the sport, knowing they can get in, have a great time, [and] cheer on their favorite driver. And I could be their new favorite driver."
Wallace, who will turn 24 in October, will replace the injured Aric Almirola (back) until Almirola can return to the seat of the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 car. Wallace is currently fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings driving for Roush Fenway Racing, but beyond this substitute role (likely six to nine weeks), his future is uncertain because the Roush program will suspend the No. 6 car's operations after this week because of a lack of funding.
NASCAR, a sport battling declining television viewership and attendance, has made a significant effort in trying to publicize its young drivers amid the recent retirements of superstars Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards, and the upcoming retirement of Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Wallace, who has more than 46,700 followers on Instagram, has taken over the NASCAR social media accounts on occasion. Three years ago at the BET Awards, he responded to comments about his attendance by tweeting:
The people who are upset over the Instagram takeover w/ NASCAR n BET..are what's wrong with the world today#ignorance
— Darrell Wallace Jr (@BubbaWallace) June 30, 2014
Not since Bill Lester competed in a couple of races in 2006 has a black driver competed at NASCAR's top level. Wallace won five races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013-14 but has gone winless in 83 starts in the Xfinity Series.
"This is a huge step for NASCAR, the whole sport in general, for bringing diversity to its top-tier level of NASCAR," Wallace said. "I'm glad to be leading the forefront of that right now.
"It just shows that we're trying to bring in a new demographic. We're trying to bring in a new face, get a younger generation, no matter what color, what age."
An Alabama native whose father is white and whose mother (a former University of Tennessee track and field athlete) is black, Wallace said he was taught from a young age that everyone deserves opportunities and a life without barriers.
He doesn't view his racing career as one filled with barriers, but he acknowledged that "there's definitely been some flak in the way.
"My mom and dad always told me to block out the bad and take the good from it, use it as motivation. I would get the gestures and everything thrown out. We'd show up the next weekend and win. That's how I was taught. That's how I was raised, to ignore the stupidity, continue on and do what I need to do."