It’s been roughly 13 years since Bubba Wallace began racing with NASCAR, and as he continues to evolve and grow, so does his approach to his craft, but more importantly, his life.
In this current chapter of his life, Wallace is a husband and new father, and his latest partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Carter’s is a direct reflection of that.
Stepping into a new chapter
“I think it’s honestly allowed me to be who I am even more so than what I already was, and trying to figure out how to navigate every avenue,” Wallace told Blavity. “You have to learn how to make your schedule work and coincide with each other. I really try to balance home life and work life, and separate them too, because it is nice to just be able to shut the mind off from racing and go be a father and husband, and not have to stress yourself out over things that happen at work.”
He added, “It just allows you to have fun and enjoy life. That’s really what life’s about. It’s like when you get questions from the kids, when you do Q&As, or you’re asked for advice, mine is just to have fun with your own life, and that’s what I always wanted to do when I was a kid. That’s what we always did, you know. Everybody’s lives were different, but we all had fun. We remember those times that we had fun and had no obligation, no bills to pay. You were just running around having a great time, and it’s very reminiscent of the times at the Boys and Girls Club when I would go after school sometimes, so it’s cool to kind of bring it back full circle.”
The importance and impact of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
As an alum of BGCA, Wallace understands the importance of organizations that serve as places of empowerment for today’s youth. Wallace, BGCA and Carter’s are all teaming up to unveil a limited-edition capsule collection designed by Club Kids through a nationwide contest. During the contest, three standout artists were selected to have their artwork brought to life on T-shirts.
“The Boys and Girls Club gives you an opportunity to continue being a kid, but also pushing yourselves in creative ways to help you find your purpose in life quicker,” Wallace said. “I’m going on 32 and I don’t know if I’m supposed to be a race car driver, but I’m having a good time doing it, so I’m going to keep trying and enjoying life. I think it provides an avenue. It provides an opportunity. You have the right people in place to push these kids, to motivate them to want to be somebody and do something in life, and I think that it’s incredible. It’s about exploring your creativity and building confidence in the youth. Confidence goes a long way in anybody, but especially the kids as they navigate through life and graduate from elementary to middle to high school. You need confidence because once you get to the real world, it’s kind of like, ‘Good luck.’ A lot of people feel left behind when that opportunity happens, and so I think the Boys and Girls Club provides the right opportunities to keep furthering the youth as we go.”
Building a legacy on and off the track
As the first Black driver to win the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the first full-time Black driver in the Cup Series since 1971, Wallace said while he’s unclear on what he hopes his legacy in the sport and beyond will look like, he always aims to put his best foot forward.
“It’s a question where I’m always stumped on, and I feel like there’s an opportunity in front of me right now that it’s my duty, it’s my obligation to go out and fulfill, and however that may look, I got to do it to my best capacity,” Wallace said. “There are going to be mistakes along the way, but you learn from those, and you become a better person. I think it’s just how you continue to carry yourself, even out of the bad situations, into a new one.”
“There’s a lot of valuable advice out in the world, and it goes back to me being more vulnerable, asking more questions and listening, allowing myself to hear that advice to help me,” he continued. “It’s a perfect tie-in for what the Boys and Girls Club and Carter’s are doing for the summer, just getting kids prepped for the next school year. I always enjoyed the weeks leading up to going back to school. You always got the clothes. You always got the school supplies. You wanted to be the best dressed and all of that, and you still chase those things even when you’re older, so it’s cool to be playing a small part in it all.”
The limited-edition collection is now available exclusively online in sizes 12M to adult and priced between $12 and $18. For every shirt sold, Carter’s will donate $5 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
