Bubba Wallace is worried about the future of NASCAR.

Youssef Shnino
28 Aug, 2022

Bubba Wallace is worried about the future of NASCAR, and even his haters will agree with him.

Bubba Wallace is enjoying a good year in his second season with 23XI Racing, with three top-five finishes in the previous six races. Despite his achievements, he is not without critics. They're a vociferous group on social media — keyboard warriors, if you will.

During an interview this week, the 28-year-old driver was questioned about his biggest fear about NASCAR's future. Even his harshest detractors will agree with his reaction.

Bubba Wallace is worried about electric vehicles.


Bubba Wallace is the latest rider to compete in 12 The Athletic questions. Jeff Gluck sat down with the driver and asked him a variety of questions about his career and upcoming wedding. 

He asked him what his biggest concern was about NASCAR's future. “My concern is whether it will be hybrid or fully electric,” Wallace said."We're sitting here right now, and you're going to hear about racing in this (the podcast version of the interview), right? That's cool. 

We are at the racetrack. "Nothing against Formula E drivers and Formula E teams, but I've watched a lot on TV and hit the mute button three times before I was like, 'Oh yeah. You don't hear anything exciting. I'm not sure if NASCAR would ever go fully electric.Nobody knows for sure. I wouldn't enjoy that.

debut of electric cars in 2023 exhibition


According to a report by Kickin’ the Tires in July, NASCAR will introduce electric vehicles racing next season at the Clash at the Coliseum. 

Wallace may not be around, but he will be around when the racing starts. The plan is to launch exhibition races in Q3 at six venues that are aligned with NASCAR races. 

Each event will feature two 30-minute races, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.If all goes well during the 2023-24 exhibition testing phase, there is hope for a potential competitive series from 2025.

Wallace has a lot of supporters.

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On August 21, 2022, during driver introductions before the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International, Bubba Wallace offers the audience a thumbs up. Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Not surprisingly, this news was not well received by fans, because as Wallace said, sound is an essential part of the racing experience. When that element is removed, it creates a very different atmosphere. 

"It's madness! The cars are too loud now and a nice quiet race will attract more fans," wrote one fan on Twitter in response to the announcement.

"Of course people will complain because the best part of going to a race is the sound, lol," wrote another.

It's not the most popular idea among fans, but it fits well with NASCAR's recent strategy of branching out and trying new things. This year's Clash at the Coliseum was the first-ever Cup race in a stadium, and with the all-new Next Gen car, of all things. 

Returning to this iconic venue for the car's second season and putting on a few electric races as a show sounds like the next logical step. Where it goes from there, no one knows at this point. Going fully electric seems a long way off, if at all. So Wallace and his opponents will not have to worry for a while yet.

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