Bubba Wallace seems to be thoroughly enjoying the role of NASCAR “villain” as he was seen flipping off the camera after taking second place at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina on Sunday.
Just as wrestling has its heroes and heel characters, Wallace seems to fully accept that he is NASCAR’s bad boy by constantly agitating people who already dislike him. Sunday’s act of defiance was just another example.
Wallace started the eye-poking on Saturday when he took fifth place in North Wilkesboro Speedway’s truck race. But, in the post-race interview, Wallace said he doesn’t care what his detractors say.
Many may remember that Wallace made a big todo about “a noose” hanging in his NASCAR garage in 2019. But the whole hullabaloo turned out to be a hoax. Even the FBI determined that the garage pull rope fashioned into a loop hanging from the door and used to close the door had no connection to “racism” at all.
The boos have followed Wallace since his “noose” hoax.
So, on Saturday, a reporter asked Wallace about the boos he received after the race, and Wallace said, “That’s every week” and added, “It’s sports, it’s always going to be there.”
“Hey, as long as you continue to live your life, judging a book by its cover, that’s who you are,” he said. “Don’t change it up for anybody else. That’s the biggest thing. That’s fine. I mean I finished 5th. I got a good payday. I’m good.”
The boos for @BubbaWallace after today’s truck race & during driver intros were very loud at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
A @wsoctv reporter asked a great question about how/if that affects Bubba.
Wallace gave a great answer in return. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/0VDHtUZ7c0
— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) May 20, 2023
But Wallace continued his defiance on Sunday after he crossed the finish line in second place.
As he stepped in front of a Fox News camera, he quickly flipped the interviewer and the camera the bird.
Naturally, people reacted quite negatively to his disrespectful act:
Bubba Wallace being all class again. NOT! What a jack leg. He knew he was on camera with Fox too. #AllStarRace pic.twitter.com/YnKYxiKjtB
— Ronnie Greene (@GreeneRonnie) May 22, 2023
Bubba Wallace is a THUG pic.twitter.com/U9TqcDGob6
— Rev. Wayne Kerr IV 🇺🇸(Alpha Male) (@TheRevIV) May 22, 2023
Real professional there @BubbaWallace @23XIRacing flipping the bird at the start of his post race interview. No class man. #NASCAR @NASCAR @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/bg7fiIrHol
— Charlie Waffles (@CWaffles) May 22, 2023
@BubbaWallace dudes a loser pic.twitter.com/qrATF4yIBc
— d (@robertsonderek4) May 22, 2023
Honestly just a sore loser, as always @BubbaWallace pic.twitter.com/YJqk4Ag2C8
— i am kirks complete lack of playoff success (@thelimoseats8) May 22, 2023
Bubba Wallace just flipped off everyone 😒 #bubbawallace #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/aJ1mmkbny7
— Jarrod Kendall (@JarrodKendall_) May 22, 2023
Classless Bubba Wallace showing his character yet again? @NASCAR can’t keep making excuses for him? If Larson was doing this he would get a year off! Seems like reverse discrimination against anyone else racing when you have 2 standards. pic.twitter.com/iBld61qKkj
— scotty chatham (@scottychatham) May 22, 2023
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