After quite a terrible start to the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace Jr. has managed to turn things around as the regular season draws to a close.
Wallace Jr. suffered all kinds of bad luck and setbacks in the first half of 2022. He, however, bounced back to finish in the top 10 for a fourth consecutive time during the sport's visit to Michigan International Speedway for the Firekeepers Casino 400.
The Mobile, Alabama native, who made his debut in the 2017 Cup Series, has always been in the limelight to an extent due to him being the only driver of African-American descent on the grid. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, the highest echelon of stock car racing also saw a revelation take place after Wallace Jr. decided to speak up against the racial inequality that was engrained in the sport.
The #23 Toyota Camry TRD driver's constant activism in the sport also meant he was featured in Race: Bubba Wallace, a docuseries on the 28-year-old's endeavors in the sport by popular streaming service Netflix. The resulting boost in popularity and recognition for Wallace Jr. all over the world has made him one of the most marketable individuals on the grid in 2022.
Estimated to be drawing a salary of $2.2 million from his current team in 2021, the 23XI Racing driver has a total net worth of around $3 million. This includes various sponsorships and endorsements from sponsors that team up with him for special appearances and races.
Kevin Harvick speaks on improvements Bubba Wallace Jr. has made in 2022
Back-to-back 2022 NASCAR Cup Series, Kevin Harvick recently spoke on how Bubba Wallace Jr. has managed to improve his driving in the highest echelon of the sport after the veteran battled the 28-year-old at Michigan International Raceway.
Although Harvick managed to beat Wallace Jr. to the checkered flag with the latter finishing in P2, he had words to say about the young driver. He said:
"He's consistently faster. That's the biggest thing and whether your cars are fast or slow, there's that progression that goes with the cars to be able to say it's loose or tight or whatever it may be."
Watch the complete interview below:
Watch Kevin Harvick and Bubba Wallace Jr. go head-to-head again this Sunday during the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International.