Bubba Wallace’s career turnaround has taken center stage in the NASCAR Cup Series, with the driver attributing this positive shift in large part to the arrival of his son, Becks Wallace, in late September 2024. Wallace, who once struggled with emotional lows after disappointing races, now approaches challenges on and off the track with new perspective and resilience.
Bubba Wallace Shifts Perspective After Difficult Seasons
For much of his early racing career, Bubba Wallace found it difficult to recover emotionally from tough races. Often, he was left frustrated and upset in his motorhome, with only his wife Amanda for support. In those moments, Wallace admitted he would sometimes break sunglasses or express his irritation in ways he later regretted. Amanda, who shared in his disappointment, sometimes struggled to offer him comfort during these low points.
In a noticeable reversal, Wallace recently remarked,
“I get back to the bus now and Amanda is more upset than I am,”
Bubba Wallace, Driver. He elaborated on the dynamic,
“It’s difficult to navigate that because over the years she’s known this is what we have and I have to make this work. … Now I walk back, like after Kansas, and I was fine, and she’s beside herself. It’s kind of funny.”
Wallace, Driver.
At Kansas Speedway on September 28, 2024, Wallace led on the final lap before a dramatic incident. His car owner at 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin, made a move to pass, which resulted in Wallace being forced into the fence during Turns 3 and 4. Neither driver won the race, and with Chase Elliott taking the victory, Wallace lost a key opportunity to advance in the Cup Series playoffs. His elimination from playoff contention came the following week, yet he faced the setback with noticeable professionalism—something he credits to his personal growth.
Where Wallace once carried the sting of defeat for days, now he processes disappointment and moves forward. According to those closest to him, the most significant shift came with a major life event: the birth of his son, Becks.
Family Life Sparks Emotional Growth
The arrival of Becks Wallace has had a profound impact on Bubba’s outlook. Wallace has noted a substantial change in himself, no longer being consumed by race-day results in the way he once was. Instead, he finds joy in fatherhood and the moments spent with his family, which help him separate his personal happiness from professional outcomes.
Wallace’s spotter and friend, Freddie Kraft, described the emotional journey,
“Bubba is obviously very emotional, and you’ve seen that in a lot of his interviews the last few years,”
Freddie Kraft, Spotter. He continued,
“He would have very high highs and very low lows. Now it seems like the highs are even higher and the lows are never as low as they’ve been before. We talk after the race, and a lot of times in the past, if we had a really bad day, I would get one-word answers or no answer at all until the next day. Now I can text him and we’re joking around afterward, and I think it’s strictly because he’s either going back to the bus and seeing Becks, or he’s on the phone with Becks before we get on the airplane.”
Kraft summed it up,
“That little boy has done so much for him that it’s an incredible turnaround for Bubba.”
Freddie Kraft, Spotter.
Fatherhood has taught Wallace to embrace daily joys, helping him handle racing disappointments more gracefully. Even when facing setbacks on the track or the end of his championship hopes, he is reminded that his son is unaware and unaffected by race results, which brings comfort and perspective.
Speaking on these changes, Wallace admitted,
“You don’t think about that stuff in that moment,”
Bubba Wallace, Driver. He clarified,
“You latch onto when you’re with him or Amanda and nothing else matters. I could be sitting here talking to you, but thinking about practice and qualifying. You’re consumed by it. You can’t be changing a diaper and thinking about qualifying. It doesn’t work. It’s nice to have that now.”
Wallace, Driver.
Mental Resilience Replaces Old Patterns
Throughout earlier seasons, Wallace often allowed race day outcomes to affect his mindset, at times leading to emotional outbursts on the team radio and a general withdrawal that indicated he would rather be elsewhere. He has spoken candidly about mental health difficulties, revealing struggles with depression, though he has not stated any formal diagnosis. While Wallace tried therapy, he found it hard to connect with a therapist, ultimately relying on self-driven strategies to strengthen his mental outlook.
He was vocal about these challenges near the end of the 2023 season, sharing his reflections publicly. Despite moments of feeling helpless or questioning his path, Wallace found a renewed sense of purpose and contentment through family, reducing his social media involvement and learning to compartmentalize stress.
On managing public expectations and criticism, Wallace stated,
“Look, I get motherf—ed if I have a bad day and get out and say I had a bad day. [People say] I’m bitching and complaining. No, I’m stating facts,”
Bubba Wallace, Driver. He added,
“Part of me is biting my tongue and going with it, but at the same time, everyone is frustrated, and we’ve been frustrated for three hours. There is no need to add onto it. The frustration that would kick in was that I would look at our team and wonder, ‘Why are we the only ones that can’t figure it out?’”
Wallace, Driver.
Previously, these frustrations would lead to a negative spiral—making poor on-track decisions and compounding a difficult race day. Freddie Kraft, observing from above, recognized when Wallace became caught in his own head. However, the 2024 season saw Wallace demonstrate increased self-confidence, especially as he solidified his place among top competitors in the series.
Kraft observed,
“Now he’s realizing that he belongs as a front-running guy and the cars are capable of running up front,”
Freddie Kraft, Spotter. He credited crew chief Charles Denike in helping Wallace maintain this positive frame of mind. Kraft further described this year’s experience,
“It’s always fun to be around Bubba, but this year it has definitely been a little more fun.”
Freddie Kraft, Spotter.
Strong Support From Team and Owner
Denny Hamlin, co-owner at 23XI Racing, has also taken notice of Wallace’s newfound consistency and leadership within the team. Hamlin addressed Wallace’s evolution as a key component for the team’s recent successes.
Hamlin stated,
“Bubba’s turnaround over the last few years, I can’t believe it, truthfully,”
Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing Owner. He discussed Wallace’s key role, adding,
“The maturity that he has shown. He’s been the lead car at 23XI, really the entire year. I think [Tyler Reddick] might have him on average finish because he doesn’t have as many DNFs, but the 23 has been the fastest freaking car we’ve got. And that’s something I can’t believe.”
Praising the team dynamic, he concluded,
“Whether it’s Charles Denike and his setups or Bubba’s mentality, something changed over there that has made Bubba someone you’re going to have to contend with every single week. … I couldn’t be [prouder] of that 23 team and what they’re doing week in and week out.”
Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing Owner.
Metrics Reflect Progress On Track and Off
With only three races left in the 2024 Cup Series season, Wallace is 10th in the standings and in position for a potential career-best finish. While the official results matter, it is Wallace’s personal growth and the maturation of his team that are equally celebrated within 23XI Racing. This improvement has been tangible—not only in the number of points gained or laps led, but in how Wallace handles the pressure and expectations that come with being one of NASCAR’s prominent drivers.
Tyler Reddick’s advancement to the Championship 4 in 2023 illustrated the capabilities of the team and motivated Wallace to set ambitious goals for the following year. Reflecting on his intentions for 2025, Wallace cited a social media post from January where he declared,
“the mentals are at an all-time high”
Bubba Wallace, Driver, emphasizing that he “couldn’t be happier” and felt motivated to do better after seasons of hardship.
Success on the racetrack has only bolstered Wallace’s positivity in his personal life. As he explained,
“It’s been really, really cool to show up with speed every week and have an opportunity,”
Bubba Wallace, Driver. He also noted,
“That’s what you want: to have an opportunity to be successful. It allows you to move freely, have less stress and take full responsibility. It’s like, OK, here’s the keys to it, let me go figure it out. I like figuring that stuff out when it comes to the racing side of things, and when you have the right people in the right spot, the right equipment, and all of it has to jell perfectly, but we seem to have that good chemistry going right now.”
Wallace, Driver.
Looking Ahead to a Promising Future
Bubba Wallace’s journey underscores how significant life events, such as becoming a parent, can inspire meaningful personal and professional change. Where he once felt weighed down by setbacks, Wallace now greets each race weekend with enthusiasm and a balanced mindset, which those closest to him, from Amanda and Becks Wallace to team owner Denny Hamlin, have noticed and supported.
Summing up his outlook, Wallace said,
“I’ve enjoyed where I’ve been in life,”
Bubba Wallace, Driver. He added,
“I look forward to waking up and competing more than I have, and it’s been fun to be at the racetrack. No other way around it. That is all from enjoying every aspect of life.”
Wallace, Driver.
By openly embracing the challenges of fatherhood, focusing on mental wellness, and committing to personal growth, Bubba Wallace’s career turnaround stands as an example of resilience within the high-pressure world of NASCAR. With continued support from his team, family, and colleagues, Wallace is poised to not only finish the season strong but also redefine success for years to come.
