NASCAR star Bubba Wallace said he doesn’t see race when asked about how it’s been being the only black driver in the Cup Series.
Wallace opened up about race and NASCAR during an interview preview shared Friday by NBC. Wallace was chosen as part of the network’s “Inspiring America: The 2021 Inspiration List” which will air May 1.
.@BubbaWallace talks to @craigmelvin about his fight for social justice in the NASCAR racing world and beyond. Catch the full interview during the special prime-time event “Inspiring America,” which airs Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Telemundo. pic.twitter.com/KmfDRC2IW5
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 30, 2021
“I don’t think about it,” Wallace responded when asked what it was like to be the only black driver.
“It’s never affected me. I didn’t need representation to become a part of the sport. The next thing you know, you’re moving up the rank and you’re here, you’re at the cup level. And so, you know, the whole black/white deal, I’ve never seen it and I still don’t. It’s just drivers, you know.” (RELATED: REPORT: Michael Jordan To Start New NASCAR Team, Will Sign Bubba Wallace As 1st Driver)”
“But there was never a point where you looked around, coming up through the ranks, and you were like, huh, I’m the only one that kind of looks like me,” Melvin asked.
“Never did that in in racing,” Wallace responded. “Never did it outside racing. I grew up in a neighborhood where, you know, where, you know, I had a couple black friends; majority white. But we’re all friends. “