Bubba Wallace has made three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Dirt like many other drivers and until Sunday night, the venue has not been kind to him. On Saturday, Wallace and many others talked about the future of the Cup Series at dirt tracks.
What did Wallace have to say on the subject as many other drivers share the same strong opinion?
Bubba Wallace provides bold opinion on the NASCAR Cup Series racing at dirt tracks
Wallace won the NASCAR Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway in 2014 as it represented one of his four victories over the course of the year. However, it does not mean the 23XI Racing driver is necessarily a fan of dirt track racing in NASCAR.
In the three NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol Dirt, Wallace has finished in 27th, 28th, and 12th place. Granted, the Cup Series races at Bristol Dirt have all been wild and featured several cautions.
Wallace actually found himself running in the top-5 spots on Sunday night until he got too high and ran out of the groove. It was a solid rebound after tough races at Circuit of the Americas and Richmond Raceway.
Despite his positive finish, Wallace’s tune from before the race likely won’t change soon. The driver of the No. 23 car was asked in a video by Frontstretch if the Cup Series should be racing on dirt tracks and gave an interesting answer.
“I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot fun on dirt. I respect what dirt guys do but for our sport and (NASCAR Cup Series) cars, not really. I think is all just to me, a gimmick…There’s something about it. Again, don’t get me wrong. I’m not hating on dirt. I love watching dirt racing, I think those guys are absolute animals…Our cars on dirt and the way we race around each other on dirt. Nah, it’s not a good formula. It may be entertaining which if that’s the case, we’re winning, right? As far as driving and competing, it just doesn’t feel right.”
Bubba Wallace on the NASCAR Cup Series racing at dirt tracks
This is actually the same exact opinion that Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson shared during the weekend. Larson said NASCAR should go back to two concrete races at Bristol Motor Speedway and that the Cup Series doesn’t belong on dirt tracks.
If one of the most talented dirt racing drivers of the current generation feels like the Cup Series should not race on dirt tracks, maybe that is a sign. It’s clear that other drivers, such as Wallace, share the same opinion.
Are Larson and Wallace right? Should NASCAR move away from Bristol Dirt and dirt racing in general? Continue reading to find out those very questions below!
Related: 23XI Racing responds to Bubba Wallace’s comments of needing to be replaced
Evaluating NASCAR’s future at dirt tracks after Bubba Wallace and others criticize the idea
It is hard to base an entire opinion on one driver’s comments but Larson is arguably the one dirt driver that can make you think about it. Honestly, Larson is at least right about Bristol Dirt beyond the 2023 season. Wallace also has similar prestige as he has won at a dirt track in NASCAR.
There is no need to race at Bristol Dirt. NASCAR would benefit from keeping its drivers happy as they enjoy the concrete track more than the dirt track. Plus, the racing is not in the same stratosphere as Eldora Speedway.
The NASCAR Truck Series went to Eldora for several years before the event came to an unfortunate end. It was hands-down much better than Bristol Dirt as it provided better racing overall.
Bristol Dirt is not the same. Sure, the racing can be fun at points but it has felt like a mess despite the excitement. The best idea would be to remove it from the schedule and go back to running two concrete tracks moving forward.
However, what about another dirt track? Could NASCAR ever return to Eldora? If so, that would be the ideal scenario since it has been the best dirt racing seen in NASCAR since it was introduced a while back.
The Cup Series could work on dirt tracks but it needs to be the right one. Bristol Dirt is not the right one and drivers are being deprived of a race track that is one of the favorites across the board.
Sometimes, the sport needs to listen to its drivers and Larson is probably the best one to listen to on this subject. Maybe, NASCAR can find a better dirt track but Bristol Dirt is not the best situation.