Remember when Dale Earnhardt ruled the track? Then, NASCAR drivers weren’t just racers; they were rock stars. From Jeff Gordon’s rainbow Warrior era to Tony Stewart’s fiery persona and Dale Jr.’s own superstardom, the sport thrived on personalities as much as horsepower. Fast forward to today, and the star power that once made NASCAR a cultural force seems harder to find. That reality stings all the more when compared to other sports making it on the global stage. And now, Bubba Wallace has doubled down on that concern.

If NASCAR wants to break out of its current boundaries, it will need to look beyond its “own four walls,” according to 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace. The Brickyard 400 winner, who recently battled to an eighth-place finish at the Enjoy Illinois 300 despite a tricky race, is one of the most recognized faces of the current Cup Series generation, alongside Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney. Yet Wallace is concerned about the gap between his global recognition and that of Formula 1 icons like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

In a conversation with The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck, the 31-year-old voiced concern, saying, “We are very inside of our own four walls, and that’s it. I’m not sure on that, because you can take (Formula One drivers) Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen and drop them anywhere in the world and people go crazy, right? You drop myself or Chase Elliott or Ryan Blaney in London and no one knows who we are. You drop us in New York City and maybe we get one or two people, right?” 

Wallace reflected on NASCAR’s “heyday,” a peak arguably in the 2000s with legends like Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kevin Harvick at their prime. But he is clear that nostalgia is not the answer: “Obviously, a lot of people wish it was back to how it was in the heyday — but no sporting league, no sanctioning body, is the way it was 15 or 20 years ago. Everything has evolved and it’s changed. So I don’t know what the magic answer is to that. What do you think?”

One potential avenue for growth, Gluck noted, is star power. While Wallace and his peers benefited from exposure to initiatives like the Netflix documentary series NASCAR: Full Speed, even drivers like Kyle Larson, who has dabbled in IndyCar, haven’t yet achieved the global recognition of F1 stars for the sport’s legendary predecessors. When asked if he could someday reach a broader audience, he was honest that consistent wins are essential for that.

He said, “I have to win to be able to do that, and not just one in every three years. I understand that, and I know that.” Anticipating critics who might call his stance arrogant, Wallace quickly added that he agrees that maintaining a high level of competitiveness and racking up victories is the only path to achieving wider fame. But as Bubba Wallace gains some validation from NASCAR insiders, the 23XI Racing driver believes one person could heighten NASCAR’s global reach.

Bubba Wallace crowns NASCAR’s best hope for global breakthrough

Wallace believes that for NASCAR to truly expand on a global scale, it needs breakout stars capable of connecting with wider audiences. When asked who might fit that role today, he pointed to a fellow competitor as a potential trailblazer. Despite the recent feud between the two and Bubba apologizing to Larson’s team, Wallace truly believes that Kyle Larson can take this weight on his shoulders. He said, “We have Kyle Larson. I think Larson is that person.”

And Wallace is right in naming Kyle Larson as the person. Larson’s racing resume is a testament to his versatility and dominance across multiple motorsport disciplines. In the NASCAR Cup Series, he boasts over 30 wins, including prestigious events like the 2021 Coca-Cola 600, the 2023 Southern 500, and the 2024 Brickyard 400. The 2021 season was particularly remarkable, leading the series with 10 wins and securing the championship. What is more, he set Hendrick Motorsports’ record with 462 laps led in a single race. Beyond stock cars, Larson has made significant strides in dirt racing, amassing over 40 victories in Sprint cars and late models, and winning the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals in 2020 and 2021.

Larson’s multifaceted success underscores his status as one of the most accomplished and versatile drivers in modern motorsport. While acknowledging Kyle Larson’s unique talent and position in the sport, Wallace remains realistic about the challenges. Wallace admitted, “It’s tough because Larson is getting the dirt crowd to watch. But homeboy/homegirl at the Pilot over here across the street doesn’t know who Larson is. They’re not like, ‘I want to see how he’s going to do.’ I could be wrong. ”

NASCAR’s insular nature, especially when compared with Formula 1’s global reach throughout major television networks and international sponsors, continues to limit the sport’s growth beyond its traditional audience.