Bubba Wallace: The birth of his son transformed his NASCAR career

The birth of his son Becks has been the catalyst for Bubba Wallace to find joy in life and racing.

Bubba Wallace: From frustration to joy, a change driven by fatherhood

In the world of NASCAR, Bubba Wallace has experienced a remarkable transformation. Gone are the days when frustration and negativity dominated his environment, especially after races. Now, the arrival of his son Becks has acted as a catalyst, transforming his perspective and his performance both on and off the track. Before, post-race disappointment was a constant. His wife, Amanda, used to witness his distress, sometimes not knowing how to react. However, the roles have been reversed. “Now, Amanda is more upset than I am,” Wallace commented. “It’s difficult to navigate that because she has known this for years and I have to make it work… After Kansas, I was fine, and she was heartbroken. It’s funny.” At Kansas Speedway, Wallace led the final lap before Denny Hamlin, owner of his 23XI Racing team, pushed him against the wall. Neither of them won the race. Wallace, although disappointed, handled his post-race obligations professionally. Amanda’s reaction reflected the frustration her husband had previously experienced. The change in Wallace is evident. He has become a more approachable driver and one who is easier to work with. Fatherhood, with the arrival of Becks in September 2024, was the main trigger. “Now it seems that the moments of joy are even greater and those of sadness are never as low as before,” said Freddie Kraft, friend and spotter of Wallace. “That child has done a lot for him, it’s an incredible change for Bubba.”

Now it seems that the moments of joy are even greater and those of sadness are never as low as before.

Freddie Kraft

Wallace has learned to enjoy fatherhood and to realize that his son makes everything more enjoyable. On days when things don’t go well on the track, it’s not so hard to handle because Becks doesn’t know or care what happened. “You hold on to when you’re with him or Amanda and nothing else matters,” Wallace explained. “You can’t be changing a diaper and thinking about the rankings. It doesn’t work. It’s nice to have that now.” Throughout his career, Wallace allowed what happened on Sundays to consume him for the rest of the week, affecting his mental attitude. Now, the driver has achieved greater maturity. The work to strengthen himself has been mainly personal, although he recognizes the value of therapy.

Statistically, Bubba Wallace is on track for his best season, achieving a victory in Indianapolis and ranking 10th in the 2025 playoff standings. In 2023, Wallace publicly shared his struggles, speaking of “questioning everything” and a “feeling of helplessness.” The decision to reduce social media use and the ability to compartmentalize have been crucial for Wallace on the track, preventing a bad day from affecting everything. “I was frustrated and I wondered, ‘Why are we the only ones who can’t solve it?'” said Wallace. That frustration often led him to make bad decisions. Now, according to Kraft, Wallace realizes that he belongs to the elite and that his cars are capable of competing at the front. Hamlin has also been impressed by Wallace’s transformation. “The maturity he has shown… has been the leading car at 23XI, really throughout the year,” Hamlin commented. “Something has changed there that has turned Bubba into someone you’ll have to compete with every week… I couldn’t be prouder of that 23 team.” With three races remaining in the season, Wallace is in tenth place in the standings and could be on his way to his best season in the Cup Series. Wallace has backed up a social media post from January, sharing that “the mindset is at its highest” and that “he couldn’t be happier.” “It’s really great to show up with speed every week and have an opportunity,” Wallace said. “That’s what you want: to have the opportunity to succeed. It allows you to move freely, have less stress, and take full responsibility.” Wallace has found joy in life and in racing. “I’ve enjoyed where I’ve been in life,” Wallace said. “I’m more eager to wake up and compete, and it’s been fun to be at the track. There’s no other way to say it. It all comes from enjoying every aspect of life.”