Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Daytona 500 on Sunday, but Bubba Wallace isn’t giving it any attention.
Trump and Wallace had a public clash in 2020 after the then-president referred to an incident at Talladega Superspeedway as a “hoax.” That year, a noose was discovered in Wallace’s garage stall, leading to an outpouring of support from the NASCAR community. However, a federal investigation later determined that the rope had been there for months and was not a hate crime.
Following the investigation, Trump criticized Wallace, suggesting he should apologize for what he called a false alarm. “Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX?” Trump posted on social media in 2020.
Wallace responded to Trump’s remarks with a message promoting love over hate. “Always deal with the hate being thrown at you with LOVE!” he wrote. “Love should come naturally as people are TAUGHT to hate. Even when it’s HATE from the POTUS.”
Now, with Trump returning to the White House, he is set to attend the Daytona 500, the opening race of the NASCAR season. An FAA notice signaled his expected presence, but NASCAR stated on Wednesday that it had not yet received confirmation of his attendance.
While Trump’s appearance may be a major topic for some, Wallace made it clear that it doesn’t matter to him. “Couldn’t care less,” he said. “We’re here to race. Not for the show.”
Wallace has been vocal about racial issues in NASCAR, particularly the presence of the Confederate flag at races before the organization banned it. Trump, however, disapproved of the ban, claiming it led to “the lowest ratings EVER.”
