Wallace acknowledged being the only full-time black driver is a weight on his shouldersGETTY IMAGES
NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace is "one of the most important stories on the circuit, a man who refuses to play the role of reluctant pioneer," according to Dan Bickley of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Wallace is "primed to be a torchbearer for NASCAR’s next wave of celebrity drivers." He is "brash, bold and full of Southern charm." He is "fearless, passionate and full of personality." He is also African-American. Wallace: "It’s definitely a weight on my shoulders. I manage it the best I can. There are going to be haters, but I love the haters. It fuels the fire for me to go out there and show everyone what I can do." Bickley notes while Wallace has "stirred predictable reactions in some corners of NASCAR’s empire, his emergence also reflects the best of the sport." Wallace is a man who can "do for racing what Tiger Woods once did for golf" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/7).
NOT SO FAST: In Orlando, George Diaz writes, "Not very long ago, it was hip to be young." It was "all the rage in NASCAR," where young drivers like Wallace and Ryan Blaney were "going to kick all the old guys to the curb." NASCAR's veterans are "having none of that." Kevin Harvick, at 42, is "crushing everyone, young and old, having won two consecutive races heading into Phoenix this weekend." There are only two 25-or-younger drivers in the Monster Energy Cup Series' Top 10 standings -- Blaney (24) and Kyle Larson (25 ). Diaz: "No one is suggesting that a three-race snapshot will be the defining one of a season that lasts 36 races, but it’s a good sign for the old guard, written off by many, and in some cases not around to defend themselves" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/7).
