Bubba Wallace's Parents Have Always Supported His NASCAR Dreams

NASCAR driver Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr. has been racing cars since he was 9 years old, and he took over the No. 43 car full-time in 2018. He came in second place during the 2018 Daytona 500, and he finished third at the Brickyard 400 the following year. 

Off the track, Bubba has been outspoken about racial issues, including how NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from races, in 2020. Bubba is also set to display Black Lives Matter on his car for future events, and he's raced while wearing a shirt that reads "I Can't Breathe."

The racing star has credited his upbringing and his parents for making him the advocate he is today. Here's what to know about Bubba's parents.

Bubba was born in Mobile, Ala. to his parents, Darrell Wallace, Sr. and Desiree Wallace. His parents raised him to be a go-getter, as Darrell Sr. is the owner of an industrial cleaning business and his mother a social worker. They raised Bubba in North Carolina with his sister, Brittany.

His parents divorced during his upbringing, which drove a wedge between his and his father's relationship. During a 2019 interview with Dale Jr Download (via NBC Sports), Bubba admitted he and his father once had a "physical altercation" after his mother told him he and his father "got into it."

“The light switch went off, I got in my truck and went over and fought my dad, like swinging fists, just did before I thought. A physical altercation,” Bubba recalled. “For 15 years of racing it was me and him. And then that day, that was it.”

Bubba shared that he and his father finally made "some progress" that year and have repaired their relationship. He has also applauded both his parents for supporting his career. In January of 2018, Bubba told The Norm that Darrell Sr. had been his first sponsor, before his career took off.

"I was lucky that my dad was able to sponsor me during my early years of competition," Bubba said. "Even with a winning season, and moving up to the modified K&N East series, it still takes sponsorships," he explained. "I was constantly on the phone. It takes persistence to get sponsorships.

Bubba is biracial — his mom and his dad is white. In 2018, Bubba made history as the first full-time Black driver to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series since Wendell Scott did in 1971.

In 2017, Bubba defended himself on Twitter against NASCAR fans who were upset at how frequently his racial background was mentioned during races.

"There is only 1 driver from an African American background at the top level of our sport..I am the 1. You're not gonna stop hearing about 'the black driver' for years," he wrote in the tweet. "Embrace it, accept it and enjoy the journey."

Of course, his historic accolades came with him being subject to hate crimes. In June 2020, The New York Times reported that an official statement from NASCAR confirmed that a noose had been found in Bubba's Alabama garage stall.

Bubba later referred to the incident on X (formerly Twitter) as a "despicable act of racism and hatred." He also referenced his mother, and how she believes people are trying to scare her son into silence.

"As my mother told me today, 'They are just trying to scare you.' This will not break me, I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in," he wrote.

Bubba likely leaned on his parents when he earned a new title: father. In October 2024, he and his wife Amanda Carter welcomed their first child together, a son. Bubba and Amanda announced the news via Instagram and also shared the baby's name with fans.

"Amanda and I would like to introduce you to Becks Hayden!" the couple wrote. "We were blessed with his presence Sunday 9/29☺️ 9 months of waiting on this little guy, he’s made it all worth it! So excited for this journey!

Since becoming a father, Bubba has ensured his son sees his hard work every step of the way. In July 2025, he shared multiple photos of him snuggling with Becks after winning the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.