Bubba Wallace has reasons to be distressed. Two weeks ago, he wrangled with his team owner, Denny Hamlin, at Kansas Speedway, and that cost him a potential victory. The following week, his 15th-place finish at the Charlotte Roval saw him 24 points below the cutline, resulting in an elimination from the playoffs. But despite all the setbacks, the Toyota star is keeping his spirits high.

A little over a year ago, Bubba Wallace and his wife, Amanda, welcomed a ray of sunshine into their lives. Their son, Becks Hayden, was born, and this lit up their household. As it turns out, this baby’s effervescent love reached beyond the household and into the racetrack.

The golden influence in Bubba Wallace’s life

Not long ago, boos rang out in the grandstands in Bubba Wallace’s name. The reasons for this were the 23XI Racing driver’s foul mood. It spilled over into racing weekends and even on weekdays when Wallace was at home. This led to unpleasant conflicts with rivals, like when he hooked Kyle Larson’s car in retaliation in a 2022 Las Vegas race. In Chicago last year, Wallace door-slammed Alex Bowman on the cooldown lap and landed a hefty penalty. But those bitter fallouts are a thing of the past now. According to Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, the reason is a little bundle of joy.

“That little boy has done so much for him that it’s an incredible turnaround for Bubba,” Freddie Kraft told ESPN recently. Indeed, Becks Hayden has turned even poor race finishes into something to cherish for Bubba Wallace. Becks celebrated Wallace’s victories this year, ranging from the Daytona 500’s Duel 1 win to the prestigious Brickyard 400 win.

Contrary to his emotional rollercoaster rides in the past, Bubba Wallace can lightheartedly talk about his races now. “Now it seems like the highs are even higher and the lows are never as low as they’ve been before,” Kraft continued. “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.”

Bubba Wallace has actively worked on his mental struggles by cutting down on social media and compartmentalizing. The latter particularly helps him, both on and off the racetrack. Wallace himself talked about how Becks has rejuvenated his world. “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.”

Even 23XI Racing team owner Denny Hamlin saluted Wallace for his progress.

Words of inspiration after conflict

Well, Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin locked horns a few weeks ago. On the final lap of the race, Wallace held the lead and was poised for a sure-shot victory. However, Hamlin drove his No. 11 Toyota aggressively and forced Wallace’s No. 23 into the wall. This axed the pace of both cars and let Chase Elliott zoom ahead for the win. Understandably, frustration reigned supreme in the 23XI fold, as Wallace called his team owner a “f—— douche” on the radio and flipped him off. Nevertheless, he calmed down soon after, hugging his owner.

Despite the simmering tensions between the driver and the owner, both acknowledged each other. Denny Hamlin recently patted Wallace on the back for winning his mental struggles. “Bubba’s turnaround over the last few years, I can’t believe it, truthfully,” Hamlin said. “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.”

Clearly, a lot of things are going right in Bubba Wallace’s career right now. Becks Hayden and Amanda Wallace are big reasons for this. Let’s wait for Wallace to conjure more magic on the racetrack!