“Spends all their time pushing Bubba Wallace down our throats”- Fans react to Kenny Wallace backing Danica Patrick’s no star power in NASCAR claims

In recent years, F1 has experienced a notable surge in American interest.

“Spends all their time pushing Bubba Wallace down our throats”- Fans react to Kenny Wallace backing Danica Patrick’s no star power in NASCAR claims

Danica Patrick (Left), Bubba Wallace (Middle) and Kenny Wallace (Right) [Credits: Imago]

Danica Patrick, the former NASCAR driver, recently shook the NASCAR world with her outspoken remarks regarding the sport’s decline in popularity. Her comments addressed the excessive length of NASCAR races and the shifting landscape of driver recognition, which have contributed to a downturn in viewership.

Speaking to Awful Announcing in an interview, she said that the drop in Star Power and the marketability of drivers is the reason why F1 is growing in the US. Her view was met with a lot of positive reception from the fans. And recently, Kenny Wallace, former race car driver and reporter for Fox, has supported her claim as well. 

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Replying to her words in the interview, Kenny took to his X account to tweet about the stark differences between current-generation NASCAR drivers and the drivers of the past. He wrote:

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Todays NASCAR drivers can walk down the street and nobody knows who they are, that was not true in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s. Rusty  Wallace and Dale, Earnhardt Sr could not go anywhere and actually needed police to guard them at times.

Adding weight to their claims is the remarkable growth of F1 in the United States. This sport has experienced a significant surge in popularity, now featuring three races in one year. The Netflix series “Drive to Survive” has been instrumental in growing its American fanbase. This resurgence has spurred discussions about what NASCAR may have lost along the way.

Fans claim that today’s NASCAR drivers are more about money than talent

Fans, too, have sung the same song along with Danica and Wallace. They lamented the perceived decline of NASCAR’s current era. They yearn for the “good ole days” when drivers were celebrated as the nation’s top talents. Fans have drawn sharp comparisons between today’s drivers’ marketability and the stars of the past. They’ve criticized NASCAR for what they view as inadequate promotion and marketing.

Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon with their grandfather, Richard Childress
Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon with their grandfather, Richard Childress (Credits: Haute Living)

Many conservative NASCAR enthusiasts argue that the sport’s inclusive culture negatively impacts its appeal. They contend that NASCAR’s efforts to diversify have backfired. One fan went as far as stating, “NASCAR spends all their time pushing Bubba Wallace down our throats. It’s disgusting.” The prevailing sentiment among these fans is that today’s NASCAR drivers are valued more for their financial backing than their racing talent.

Amid this debate, Danica Patrick and Kenny Wallace’s voices have sparked a significant conversation about the state of NASCAR today. While change is a constant, it’s clear that the sport’s dedicated followers long for the days when drivers’ names echoed through the grandstands and NASCAR’s star power was blindingly bright.

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