100 races. That’s how long Bubba Wallace’s winless streak had extended to before the 2025 Brickyard 400. The 23XI Racing driver rolled into Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a point to prove, especially with his team making headlines every week because of the antitrust lawsuit. But the Alabama-native drowned out the noise and managed to secure a clutch result at one of the grandest stages of them all, securing a playoff spot in the process. It’s been a season where the 31-year-old is rewriting all the narratives, but somehow, the NASCAR community still has doubts about his racing prowess.

With the statistics showing a significant upward trajectory, and Wallace even making it to the Round of 12, it’s clear that there has been significant improvement for the No. 23 racer, especially compared to last year. But why hasn’t the narrative evolved along with his results?

Performance Breakdown: The Best Version of Bubba Yet

Bubba Wallace has always had a point to prove. As NASCAR’s only black driver in the Cup Series, question marks were raised about his ‘presence’ at the highest level, and the racer had to endure excessive media scrutiny and public backlash. To make matters worse, he got his breakthrough at Richard Petty Motorsports, where he fought for relevance in underfunded equipment. While there were occasional flashes of brilliance, Wallace was fighting an uphill battle, with few chances of being competitive.

But that’s when 23XI Racing came in. Wallace won his first Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021, and there was no looking back from that point on. Sure, he has been outperformed by Tyler Reddick consistently in the last few years, with his teammate even making it to the Championship 4. But this season has been a real breakthrough for Wallace, as he has secured five top-fives and thirteen top-10s in 30 races. He might not have any poles to boast about, but the racer is frequently qualifying inside the top-10 and has led 368 laps so far.

But the biggest change in his racecraft has been consistency. Back in the day, Bubba Wallace would shine one week, but fade away the next. Perhaps it’s maturity, or he has finally found his stride, but the 31-year-old carries himself with more composure on the racetrack and avoids unnecessary risks that once cost him big. Earlier this year, he just missed out on the win in back-to-back races at Homestead-Miami and Martinsville Speedway, and finished inside the top-10 for four consecutive races at Dover, Indianapolis, Iowa, and Watkins Glen.

The Evolution of 23XI — and His Role in It

Bubba Wallace has grown with 23XI Racing. When the team came into the picture in 2020, the Alabama-native was their first piece of the puzzle, and carries the weight of expectations on his shoulders. The team, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, was under immense scrutiny from day 1, and Wallace, being a minority driver, had a point to prove to the NASCAR community.

In those early days, Wallace’s presence was more than just race results. He was proof that NASCAR belonged to the African-American community as well, even though his presence on the track was met with a degree of resistance from some fans. It gave 23XI Racing the kind of visibility organizations rarely receive in their first year, which even attracted big-name sponsors such as McDonald’s.

Wallace’s relationship with Kurt Busch also helped the racer have a standard he could aspire to reach, while Tyler Reddick added to 23XI’s depth when he joined the fray. Bubba Wallace has been a central figure in the team’s evolution, even helping set the culture of the organization. You can almost say that he’s a part of the team’s identity as well, the ‘face’ of the brand, ever since its inception in 2020.

Why the Doubt Persists

Bubba Wallace is no stranger to criticism and fan backlash. It’s been a reality he has been forced to accept from Day 1, and an aspect of his career he has made peace with a long time ago. As the first black driver to win a race in the Cup Series since Wendell Scott in 1963, the 31-year-old has always been viewed through a different lens. His victories and struggles are judged in a way that other drivers on the grid simply do not have to face.

Moreover, Wallace has never shied away from sharing his thoughts on ‘controversial’ topics. He’s open about his mental health struggles and even voiced out his support for the Black Lives Matter movement. He said, “I felt like I couldn’t be silent and had to say something, stand up for what is right, and use my platform to promote compassion, love, and understanding.” For Wallace’s supporters, his authenticity is inspirational and a source of strength, while critics just use it as another excuse to downplay his accomplishments.

Another issue is Bubba Wallace’s inconsistency during the early years also set a narrative that the driver finds hard to get out of. It’s almost like he was ‘branded’ by the first few chapters of his career, and despite making significant progress since then, those perceptions are not easily undone.

The Double Standard in Fan and Media Narratives

To say that Bubba Wallace has been treated harsher than his peers would be an understatement. Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman took years to find consistency in the Cup Series, but he isn’t viewed through the same lens. Daniel Suárez bounced between teams before getting his first win after five full seasons at NASCAR’s highest level. Even reigning champ Joey Logano, who was once nicknamed ‘Sliced Bread,’ was given time to develop and evolve into the driver we know today.

But the narrative surrounding Wallace has been more unforgiving. When he won the race at Talladega in 2021, many fans cited that his triumph was down to the race being shortened because of the rain. In 2022, he entered Victory Lane at Kansas Speedway, where he outdrove the grid over a full distance, but the win was downplayed in comparison to other drivers achieving a similar feat. Instead, the media focused on whether Wallace “deserved” the triumph, especially since Alex Bowman led the most laps (107).

To make things worse, social media didn’t spare him either. Skepticism has continued to follow Bubba Wallace every step of the way, and every mistake is magnified to justify the backlash and criticism. Ultimately, it all comes down to perception, and sadly for Bubba Wallace, the narrative surrounding him goes beyond results.

What Acceptance Really Looks Like

So the big question is, what does Bubba Wallace need to do to silence his critics once and for all? Would a few more race wins finally do the job? For some fans, the answer would always be no. The bar for Wallace continues to get higher every time he clears it, and the existing narrative surrounding him goes beyond the racetrack. Chasing ‘acceptance’ might be the wrong goal for the Alabama-native, a lesson he has undoubtedly learned by now.

In the garage, Bubba Wallace has the respect he deserves. Competitors realize his growth at 23XI Racing, and his consistency this year, while his teammates and crew members value his influence. Sponsors continue to back him, not just because of what he ‘represents’, but his performances on the track as well.

Perhaps that ‘acceptance’ he’s seeking doesn’t need to come from his biggest critics on social media, but rather from his own peers who understand the challenges of the sport at the ground level.

Conclusion – Bubba Doesn’t Need Everyone’s Approval

It seems like Bubba Wallace is evolving into the best version of himself. Steadier, more composed, consistent, and capable of making playoff runs. He has also become a foundational figure for 23XI Racing and is paving the way for other black drivers to make it to the Cup Series one day. While the backlash and criticism might never fully go away, that does not mean they’re valid in any way.

What matters is that Wallace is finally finding his stride. 2024 was a disappointing year, with the racer ending the season winless and failing to point his way into the playoffs. But this year, the gap between himself and Tyler Reddick is narrower than ever before, and the 31-year-old has evolved into a leader who is shaping the future of 23XI. Now it’s just a matter of how far he can go after finally finding his stride.