Corey LaJoie hosted a podcast episode where he invited the 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace. During their conversation, Wallace appreciated Kurt Busch and explained how the latter had helped him grow.

During the podcast, Wallace revealed, “Kurt’s big in managing races and it’s really indirectly like, I look at moments where, beginning of the race you know, he will out qualify me, and then we’ll kinda drive by and I’m like yeah! It’s like a confidence thing, all right we’re a better car.”

He then adds, “Pay window opens up and here he comes. He drives back right around and it’s ‘man I didn’t think they were that good,’ and you talk to him in the debrief and he’s like, ‘Yeah we were a 10th place car but we finished second with it. It’s like hmmm, I gotta figure out how to do that.”

“That’s been the biggest thing, basically letting the little fish go catch a big fish later, and just stand in immensely. So learning that from him and I see that from other guys too Harvick’s probably one of the best ones at it There have been multiple times we’ve qualified next to each other this year and I walk up to him and I’m like, ‘We suck.'”

Read More: “Sounds Like a 23XI Move” – NASCAR Fans Call Out Hendrick Motorsports Swapping Corey LaJoie’s Pit Crew for Alex Bowman

He then concludes, “We run each other hard, the first half of the race, and then I’m like oh where’s the four-car, look on the pylon top 5 and we’re still running back here where we are and it’s like I wanna do that.”

Bubba Wallace was initially headed for a career in basketball

Bubba’s journey could have been in a completely different sport had he continued with his primary career choice. The 28-year-old, NASCAR Cup Series driver would probably be playing in the NBA if it was not for his father who swayed him in the direction of racing.

The driver of the number 23 Toyota Camry, was asked if he was interested in any other sport apart from racing. Wallace responded to this saying, “I think I was following my sister’s footsteps, to be honest with you. She was a basketball player. I was five I started playing basketball. Played a little Rec league stuff. And then, seven and eight, I was doing AAU travel ball.”

Watch This Story: Ty Gibbs Screw You Approach to Mentor Kyle Busch Had Bubba Wallace’s Spotter Laughing on the Radio in Richmond

Young Wallace might have wanted to be an NBA player. However, he was quick to understand that his talent was better showcased in racing than in basketball.