CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ In came Bubba Wallace, in his finely pressed button-down, his freshly trimmed beard wrapping around that signature smile.
Oh man, that smile. It's part of the reason Wallace, a rookie in NASCAR's Cup Series, has become so endeared by so many so quickly. Yes, he is the first African-American full-time driver since the 1970s, but that's not why fans at the NASCAR Hall of Fame flocked to the fringes of his press conference Tuesday morning. It was for the quips, the jokes, and of course, that earnest smile.
As for that press conference? It was to announce Wallace's newest partner (or really, Richard Petty Motorsports'), World Wide Technology. WWT will adorn Wallace's No. 43 car _ previously driven by Petty, "The King" himself _ for six races this season, on a "tryout" basis, as Wallace put it.
Here's what all that means: Wallace, even with his unique backstory and bubbly personality, has had struggles climbing the NASCAR ranks not because of any lack of talent or want-to on his part, but rather because he hasn't had reliable sponsors. That's something that has plagued him ever since he got his start in NASCAR in 2012. Even last season, he struggled to find sponsorship to run in any series consistently.
Run a few races, then sit a few. No sponsor, no money to build the car, no car, no Bubba at the track. That simple.
But that struggle is why Tuesday's announcement was so notable. And for Wallace, personal.
"I try to do everything in the most positive way and just be myself," Wallace said, "and sometimes I overstep the boundaries. And you wonder why sponsorship doesn't come about? And you start to question, when I overstepped the boundary that one time, was that what set it back?
"So it's been frustrating, but all and all it happens for a reason."
