CAN BUBBA WALLACE IGNITE A WHOLE DIFFERENT WORLD FOR NASCAR?

I have to say that this weekend was full of excitement for me, not just because I saw the long-awaited phenomenal movie Black Panther (Wakanda Forever!!!) and it crushed box office records with a $361 million global debut, but because I also witnessed the first African-American full-time NASCAR driver in my lifetime compete in the Daytona 500. Let's not forget that both happened right smack dab in the middle of Black History Month.

Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr is the first African-American full-time driver since Wendell Scott in 1971 and the first to compete in the Daytona 500 since 1969. Let me put that in perspective, I am 43 years young (just like the number 43 car....interesting) and all of this happened before I was even born. Now I have to admit that I am no big NASCAR fan even though I have worked with several champion drivers in my career, I have been to a couple of races, and I have even driven in one of the stock cars on a track. The sport really has never drawn me in like others and I know its because I don't connect with it emotionally. That all changed this weekend though when I saw Bubba display some real raw emotion with his family at the press conference after finishing in second place. WARNING: Get the tissue ready before viewing below.

Now no one enjoys seeing a grown man break down like that, but any black son out there knows the feeling of crying it out... and I mean really crying it out hard to the point of blabbering with a snotty nose and embracing mom like this for the comfort only she can provide. Right then at that moment I became a fan. Bubba has also fully embraced being the "black driver" in the sport. “I don’t know if you’ve heard,” Wallace says, “but I’m a black NASCAR driver.” When he was announced by Petty Motorsports as being their full-time driver back in October, the 24-year-old tweeted this message about diversity in the sport.

Now as a marketer and as someone who did witness what Tiger Woods did for golf, I do have high aspirations for Bubba. Hell everyone was trying to play golf and watching it when Tiger was at his peak in my neighborhood and circle of friends. It wasn't unusual for a brotha to say "I can't wait to watch the U.S. Open this weekend" and I knew what in the world he was talking about. Bubba is the complete package of good looks, youthfulness, intelligence, emotion, and let's not forget he can drive. He has endless potential in the sport where diversity has become very important to appeal to younger and different (...African-American) fans to boost ratings and attendance. He is also engaging with fans via his digital platforms which has never been something a lot athletes have done. Let's not forget NASCAR also saw the end to Danica Patrick's career this weekend, who wrecked Sunday in what she said would be her last NASCAR race, finishing 35th.

Bubba's next race is this Sunday in Atlanta and I am excited to see how he does, but more importantly I know there is a race this Sunday in Atlanta and I will be watching it.....crazy.