Bubba Wallace takes part in initiative thanking Chicago Heroes ahead of NASCAR’s street course race

Just a day before this year's Grant Park 165, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was seen at the Chicago Road Course in a joint campaign with BCBSIL, a mutual legal reserve company. The campaign, called Driving Access, honored the Chicago Fire Media, the Chicago Police Department, and the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation for their contribution to the city and its well-being.

Bubba Wallace is the only Black driver among the current NASCAR Cup Series regulars. He also became the second Black driver to win a Cup race when he bagged the checkered flag at the Talladega Superspeedway in 2021. By winning in Martinsville in 2013, Bubba Wallace etched his name as the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR race since Hall of Famer Wendell Scott.

Therefore, tying up with Bubba Wallace garnered a lot of attention toward the Driving Access initiative. Wallace even hosted a block party at Douglass Park on July 5 from 5 pm to 9 pm. Besides the music, games, and mental health care resources, the main attraction of the event was a live pit crew in action.

Thanking the heroes of Chicago, BCBSIL tagged Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing, saying,

"We honored @CFDMedia @Chicago_Police & @StreetsandSan workers with the #HeroWalk with @NASCARChicago @BubbaWallace @23XIRacing. They got an inside look at the track before the big race. Thank you for keeping our community safe and strong. #NASCARChicago #DrivingAccess."

As of today, Wallace sits 15th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, with 448 points to his credit. According to the 2024 playoff picture, he is 27 points ahead of Chase Briscoe, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver, who currently holds the final playoff spot.

"This is how you can be part of your sport as well"- Bubba Wallace intends to educate Chicago about NASCAR

As reported by FOX 32, Chicago is the hometown of five teams in the four most popular forms of competitive sports in the world: MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL. Therefore, Bubba Wallace feels the need to make NASCAR popular in the city as well. Needless to say, that was the intention of his block party at Douglass Park.

"That's what it's all about," Wallace said, speaking of the fun-filled event. "They always ask, how can we do better and it's tapping into the markets that we're not into."

"The drivers are made to look like superheroes every Sunday. But, you got to look at how we get to the track and how our cars are able to perform. Maybe driving isn't for you. But this is how you can be part of your sport as well," he explained.

Hailing from a non-white background, Wallace feels that NASCAR must have fans from diverse backgrounds. Reflecting on the same, the Toyota pilot said,

"I don't know if that's the same feeling that fans of different backgrounds when they step into the stands. I feel responsibility, for me, to make them feel more welcome, more comfortable."

The Grant 165 will take place on July 7. Fans can tune in to NBC Sports and Peacock to watch the 75-lap event live from 4:30 pm ET onwards. Fans can also catch radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.