“This is a waste of money”: Fans react after major Bubba Wallace-23XI Racing announcement

Bubba Wallace has gotten his multi-year agreement with Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing renewed amid unresolved charter negotiations with NASCAR which were previously thought to be critical to his contract. The future of the team's charters for the upcoming year remains uncertain, yet they have successfully secured their driver.

The decision follows a season that fell short of expectations for Bubba Wallace. During the regular season, Wallace managed only five top-five finishes out of 26 starts, failed to qualify for the playoffs, and is currently ranked P19 in the driver standings. Since joining 23XI Racing in 2021, Wallace has notched two victories.

23XI Racing shared the news with a promotional video of Bubba Wallace emblazoned with the words "He's back" in striking red letters. The caption alongside the video stated:

"From day one Bubba has been an integral part of 23XI. We’re excited to announce that he has signed a multi-year renewal and will continue to play a key role in helping 23XI grow and succeed. #ForwardTogether"

Meanwhile, NASCAR also shared the news on their X. But the fans were seemingly less than thrilled with the news with one saying:

'Well this is a waste of money"

Here are a few more comments from NASCAR fans on Bubba Wallace signing the contract extension:

"Never winning a cup with this guy and everyone knows it. #Advertisingmoney," a fan predicted.

"PUMPED! 2 More years of no playoffs for a competitive Toyota!" another fan opined.

"Is it possible to dislike bubba and not be racist?" a NASCAR enthusiast wondered.

"Can someone explain why this is the right decision for 23XI, like I get he’s MJ’s guy but this team has proven to be a championship level team and Bubba has been a fringe playoff driver consistently, just feel like there’s better options out there," one wondered.

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NASCAR insider shares updates on the charter negotiation's impact on 23XI Racing amid Bubba Wallace's recent contract extension

NASCAR delivered the final draft of the charter agreement to the teams, setting a September 6 deadline ahead of the playoff kickoff. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, finding the deal terms unsatisfactory, refrained from signing.

With the existing charter agreement expiring at the end of the 2024 season, the fate of the charters held by these two teams hangs in the balance. In response to a fan's inquiry about the future of 23XI Racing's charters after Bubba Wallace’s renewal, Bob Pockrass commented:

"Still TBD on 23XI and Front Row charters. If they don't sign, then TBD what NASCAR does with those charters (sell them, hold them to see if they sign, etc). They can field open cars but the payouts (at least under the current deal) less than a third of what charter teams get."

The outcome regarding managing their four charters, whether it might require legal intervention, remains uncertain.