Bubba Wallace reflects on NASCAR being “inclusive for all” as ICE immigration raids continue

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace spoke about the Latino NASCAR fans ahead of this Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. This race will mark the series’ first-ever point-paying event to be held outside of the USA since 1958.

During Wallace’s pre-race media session, a reporter asked what he had to say to his Mexican fans amid the increased arrests of non-criminal immigrants. US ICE detention statistics (as reported by NDTV) have shown that since Donald Trump took office, the number of detainees (with no past criminal records) has jumped from 860 in January to 7,800 in June, marking a more than 800 per cent increase.

On that note, a reporter asked Bubba Wallace what his message was for the Latino NASCAR fans. The driver replied (11:40 onwards),

“I think for us and the image that we have been trying to portray as a sport, at least for the last five years, when everything kind of flipped on its head is making this inclusive for all, making it special for everyone to attend our sport, to have fun and cheer on the favorite driver.”

The upcoming 100-lap event (scheduled for June 15) will be televised on Amazon Prime Video from 3 pm ET onwards. Fans can also listen to exclusive radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

“I couldn't be more proud and excited for (Daniel) Suarez, and understanding that he has put in a lot of work with NASCAR to make this all happen and make it special for all of us. And to see NASCAR support his decisions and needs and wants to make sure that everybody is safe,” he added.

Bubba Wallace will enter the race 10th in the driver standings with 383 points to his name. As of today, he owns three top-fives and six top-10s.

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Bubba Wallace recalls Kasey Kahne’s comment as he continues to get better at road courses

Bubba Wallace shared a comment that was once made to him by former NASCAR Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne. That comment, Wallace suggested, has stayed with him even after six years, as the Alabama native looks to improve on road courses.

It all happened during a driver’s meeting at Sonoma Raceway back in 2018. Recalling the incident, Wallace said in a statement (quoted by The Express),

“I had qualified next to last or something and he walks up and he says, 'You know, I was in the same boat once and all of a sudden just clicked.' And I think he's won a couple road course races. He was like 'You don't know what it is and all of a sudden just clicks.' And so I feel like we're in that transition period where it's clicking."

In his last five starts, Bubba Wallace has picked up one top-five (at Michigan) and a pair of top-10s at Nashville and North Wilkesboro Speedway. He is one of the Cup Series full-timers who are still vying for their maiden win of the 2025 season.