NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring ‘Bubba’s Block Party’ to Chicago – Daytona Times

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace hangs out with young fans outside of a McDonalds restaurant in Chicago.

CHICAGO Ahead of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, Bubba Wallace driver No. 23 of Michael Jordan co-owned 23XI Racing hosted Bubbas Block Party, a nationwide community initiative at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center on Wednesday.

The South Side event featured racing-themed entertainment, local food from Black-owned businesses and a live musical performance from Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco. It was scheduled from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A lot of people (have been) saying that they dont feel welcomed to be a part of our sport. Ive been racing for 20 years, going on 21 years now, and I couldnt think of being anywhere else, Wallace told the Tribune.

Ive always enjoyed my time, except when I lose. But from the stories that Ive heard and peoples comments, we got to be better. Youve always heard the labels about our sport whether its being racist, redneck or whatnot. Thats very far from the truth. Theres always a couple bad apples, but a couple bad apples doesnt portray the whole picture of our sport.

Wallace, who became just the second Black driver to win a race in NASCARs top Cup Series level in 2021, wants his block party to be a place where people, who havent felt welcomed by the racing community, come and learn about the sport. Since 2020, Wallace has tried to expose racing to new audiences, bringing our life into their lives and vice versa.

The block party initiative, which began last year, has been held in Richmond, Virginia and Birmingham, Alabama both cities with majority Black and minority communities. They are intended to be a fun atmosphere where Wallace can connect with fans of all ages.

Its really just for you to feel welcomed and feel wanted, something a lot of people have said in years past that they dont feel comfortable with, he said of the block parties, which also featured iRacing simulators and pit stops.

At the parties, Wallace received feedback from fans. He viewed it as an opportunity to show there are other ways to be a part of NASCAR, such as a member of a pit crew. He acknowledges the expense of the sport for both participants and viewers can be a barrier to entry for many in Black and brown communities. The block parties are free.

We were brainstorming ideas on how we need to keep trending forward and moving the messages forward, moving our visuals, our fan base forward, and not staying stagnant and doing the same old stuff, Wallace said of his Diversity Leadership Team that was created in 2020. I was like, hey, you know, theres a lot of people that want to come to race. They dont feel safe, they dont feel welcomed. Why dont we make a welcoming environment beforehand? Have a party at the racetrack, like a block party?

Having the Chicago installment event at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center was an intentional choice on the part of Wallace and NASCAR.

The museum is named after Jean Baptiste Point DuSable. Wallace called it an honor to both give back and pay homage to its namesake, the first permanent non-indigenous settler of what would eventually become the city of Chicago.

He hoped the Chicago street race, as well as the block party, would bring racing to those who have felt it was out of reach and help move NASCAR forward.

It makes people question a lot about themselves. It also allows people to accept change and accept something different. Its been a fun process, but its been a tough one to continue to guide because its a never-ending process. And theres always going to be something that we need to be better at. And its up to us to be proactive instead of reactive.

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race will be held Sunday around Grant Park.

Original post:

NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times