So far this season, Bubba Wallace and the 23XI Racing team have not enjoyed a good start to their debut season. This is a far cry from what team co-owner Michael Jordan would have wanted. Obviously, Jordan is a hugely ambitious person, so the team’s current form will not be too comforting.
Recently, Wallace spoke about the NBA legend’s expectations for the outfit. He said, “It’s a total different mind shift that I’ve gone through. I’ve been racing for 17 years and I can’t remember a time like this when the opportunity is so high.
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“Myself being mentally and physically prepared to capitalize on that, that’s the biggest thing.”
He acknowledged that he needed to show up to all races with a ‘150 or even 200% effort.’ However, that won’t be enough for Jordan, who will then expect ‘300%’ effort from his compatriot. It is in the former Chicago Bulls star to expect and demand more, and Bubba Wallace respects that.
“I have to make sure that I show up for 36 weeks with a 150% effort. Jordan wants 200%, so I’ve got to show up with 200% effort. Now he will text me saying he wants 300%. He wants more. I love that mentality,” Wallace added.
What else did Bubba Wallace say about Michael Jordan?
According to Wallace, that kind of pressure can act as a good motivator. This covers the driver, the engineers, the shop, and more, so the whole team has to buck up. In addition to that, they have to keep this up all the way until the season finale at Phoenix.
Of course, the African-American driver acknowledged that their run will be far from perfect.
USA Today via Reuters
Feb 21, 2021; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) and NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez (99) during the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
However, they should be fine, as long as they work together as a team. At the end of the day, Bubba Wallace knows that everyone has to put their best foot forward.
Luckily, Wallace and the 23XI Racing team still have several races ahead of them before the season ends. So, this offers them plenty of time to try and improve their results, after he recorded a best finish of 17th at the Daytona 500.
READ MORE: Bubba Wallace’s Crew Chief Says Team Got a ‘Reality Check’ in NASCAR Daytona Road Course Race
