The day before this year’s Grant Park 165, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace appeared on Chicago’s road course as part of a joint campaign with BCBSIL, a mutual legal prep company. The campaign, called Driving Access, recognized the Chicago Fire Media, Chicago Police Department and Chicago Department of Street Sanitation for their contributions to the city and its welfare. Bubba Wallace is the only Black driver among the current NASCAR Cup Series regulars.
He also became the second Black driver to win a Cup race, taking the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021. With his victory at Martinsville in 2013, Bubba Wallace made his name as the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR race since Hall of Famer Wendell Scott. So, working with Bubba Wallace has brought a lot of attention to the Driving Access initiative. Wallace also hosted a street party at Douglas Park on July 5th from 5-9pm. In addition to music, games and mental health resources, the main attraction of the event was a live, working pit crew. BCBSIL expressed their gratitude to Chicago’s heroes, tagging Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing:
“We honored @CFDMedia @Chicago_Police and @StreetsandSan employees with a #HeroWalk with @NASCARChicago @BubbaWallace @23XIRacing. They got to tour around the track before the big race. Thank you for keeping our community safe and strong. #NASCARChicago #DrivingAccess.”
Currently, Wallace sits 15th in the NASCAR Cup Series with 448 points. According to the 2024 playoff standings, he has a 27-point lead over Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe, who currently holds the final playoff spot.
“This is how you can be part of your sport as well”- Bubba Wallace intends to educate Chicago about NASCAR
As FOX 32 reports, Chicago is home to five teams from the four most popular competitive sports in the world: MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL. So Bubba Wallace feels the need to make NASCAR popular in the city. Of course, that was the intention of his street party at Douglas Park.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Wallace said of the fun event. “They always ask how can we do it better? It’s about getting into markets that we don’t serve.”
“The drivers are portrayed every Sunday like they’re superheroes. But you have to see how you get to the track and how our car performs. Maybe driving isn’t for you. But this is also how you become part of your sport,” he explained.
Wallace comes from a non-white background and believes NASCAR needs fans with diverse backgrounds. With that in mind, the Toyota driver said:
“I don’t know if fans from different backgrounds will have the same feeling when they go into the stands. I feel like I have a responsibility to make them feel more welcome and comfortable.”
The Grant 165 will take place on July 7. Fans can watch the 75-lap race live on NBC Sports and Peacock starting at 4:30 p.m. ET. Fans can also tune in for radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
