Why can’t Bubba Wallace get a ride?

Bubba Wallace has been dubbed one of NASCAR’s next wunderkinds because of his driving ability, charisma and diversity.

Now if he can only get a ride.

The 23-year-old African-American driver, a product of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program, is a free agent mired on the sidelines without sponsorship, more than midway through the 2017 season. That’s being viewed as a problem not just for Wallace, but the sport overall, as NASCAR attempts to develop a more diverse fan base.

Wallace ran this season in the Xfinity Series for Roush Fenway Racing before sponsorship dried up, and then had a four-race stint with Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 43 Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series while Aric Almirola was out injured. Wallace has had trouble securing a long-term partner for years and has shuffled through several short-term partners.

Wallace has 34 top-10 finishes in 84 Xfinity Series races. Photo by: AP IMAGES

“Honestly, it sucks. I’m bored, got nothing to do,” Wallace said. “I find myself kind of twiddling my thumbs at home trying to find a ride that won’t take us back a couple steps but will keep us going or relevant, so it’s been a tough battle so far.”

Wallace said his management team, Fuel Sports Management Group, is “still making phone calls and trying to set up meetings to get things rolling for next year or even this year.”

Wallace scored five wins in the Camping World Truck Series in 2013 and 2014. He has yet to win in the Xfinity Series after 84 races, but has 34 top-10 finishes. In his four Cup Series races for RPM this season, he scored consecutive top-15 finishes, with a best of 11th.

The inability of Wallace to secure sponsorship isn’t a good look for NASCAR’s diversity efforts, but his agent, Fuel SMG principal and CEO Rod Moskowitz, said a perfect storm has led to this situation. There are widespread challenges in NASCAR to secure long-term sponsors, and Wallace hasn’t been in victory lane recently for myriad reasons. At times he’s raced in less competitive equipment and also has battled for the spotlight as Monster Energy Cup Series drivers moonlight in the Xfinity Series.

Patrick Rogers, managing director of driver marketing services at NASCAR, said his team is assisting efforts to keep Wallace top of mind in the industry, find him sponsorship and provide counsel. Rogers said he had lunch with Wallace last week and underscored patience to the driver. Rogers said he’s confident that elusive long-term deal for Wallace is coming.

Fuel SMG and NASCAR are setting up events for Wallace to attend in the coming weeks to keep him in front of the industry and prospective sponsors. Possibilities include an appearance for NASCAR at a diversity conference in New Orleans; an appearance for Nickelodeon; an appearance for an undisclosed race sponsor at an upcoming event; and even work with NBC Sports as a guest reporter or analyst.

Said Rogers, “It’d be easy to crawl off, sit there, wait, not be excited about the opportunities, so our advice is, ‘We’re going to work with your team at Fuel, bring a lot of opportunities to the table; certainly you don’t have to do everything (in terms of off-track appearances) — do what feels right to you.”

RPM has expressed a desire to field a car with Wallace in next year’s Cup Series if it can land sponsorship. RPM executives were impressed with Wallace during his recent stint and think he can be a star.

“Bubba proved to us that he had a lot of talent,” Richard Petty, co-owner of RPM and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, said in a prepared statement. “Not only did he show speed in qualifying, he proved to me that he can race with the best in the sport. He handled all the pressure outside the car well, and he was impressive behind the wheel, too.”

Sean Downes, chief revenue officer of RPM, said he’s chasing three major categories around Wallace: quick-service restaurants, consumer-packaged goods and technology-based brands.

“We absolutely want to be that team that gives Bubba his first full-time Cup ride,” Downes said.