Men’s Mental Health Month takes place in June. This month is designed to help break the stigma around male mental illness and encourage men to seek help and be open about their mental health.
In a male-dominated Southern sport such as NASCAR, mental health is often not prioritized. But three of the current NASCAR Cup Series drivers have been open and vulnerable about their mental health. One of those is Bubba Wallace.
Bubba Wallace has been a full time NASCAR Cup Series driver since 2018, currently driving the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing. He has won three Cup Series races, including the 2025 Brickyard 400, and has made two playoff appearances. He has also been open about his mental health for years.
Vulnerability
“Amanda and I weren’t in a good spot. And the racing side of things wasn’t in a good spot. And it’s like, no matter what you did, days were just kind of merging together, and the depression would last for a long time,” Wallace said of his 2019 season. “It was hard to get out of that funk.”
The now 32-year-old first became a household name in 2020, when he used his social media platforms to stand with Black Lives Matter and support the cause against police brutality. He made waves, helping to get the Confederate Flag banned at NASCAR events and running a Black Lives Matter car in the fall race at Martinsville Speedway.
Social media plays a major part in Bubba Wallace’s story. In 2023, after good friend Ryan Blaney won the Cup Series Championship and Wallace himself secured a career best tenth-place points finish, he posted to his social media about his mental health.
“Sitting here on the couch questioning everything,” Wallace posted. “You would think your bud winning the championship would bring that joy and excitement back. Sadly it did not.”
“It’s the helpless feeling that really kicks ya,” the Alabama native continued. “My wife can see that I’m off but I don’t have the what or the why that I’m feeling this way to allow her to help me. To my peeps out there staring at a blank wall, I’m with you. Tomorrow is another day. Another opportunity. Keep after it.”
Blaney was quick to check up on his friend, and the two shared banter with Wallace reminding him Chase Elliott’s 2020 championship win made him feel the same.
2024: A Year of Change
The driver of the No. 23 has legions of both fans and haters, and both of these groups are vocal on social media. His mental struggles continued into the 2024 season, coinciding with a $50,000 fine for contact on the cooldown lap with Alex Bowman.
“I’ve been miserable for years,” the Alabama native said to the media at Pocono Raceway, “I’ve been walking around with a persona I’m not proud of.”
The pressure made Wallace stray away from his goofy, happy personality because he felt the need to prove himself as a competitor. The aforementioned haters made it very clear on social media they did not believe Wallace belonged in the Cup Series.
2024 was a difficult season for the No. 23 team. His teammate, Tyler Reddick, won the Regular Season Championship and made the Final 4, while Wallace went winless for a second consecutive season and failed to return to the playoffs.
“I always preach about being the same person on and off the racetrack,” Wallace said in that same media session. “It’s a pressure-cooker being at the Cup level, right? And the last four years, I’ve been miserable just trying to walk around like everything’s OK.”
That weekend at Pocono, Wallace made the decision to pull back from social media, which he described as being “so nice” for his mental health.
Family, Fatherhood, and Looking Forward
Bubba Wallace is many things, but is most importantly a family man. His wife and his children help ground him and have greatly helped him throughout his mental health journey. During his 2023 struggles, Wallace described his wife as “a massive help” with improving his mental health.
“I wake up and my wife’s there. She’s like, ‘How are you feeling today?’ And it’s like, one of those days,” Wallace said. “We keep each other on our toes. We play video games together. So she’s a massive help. And then the next thing you know, clock strikes 5 o’clock and it’s like, ‘How’s it going?’, and I’m good. It just kind of blows over.”
Wallace felt like he wasn’t the best husband, making his wife feel like she had to walk on eggshells following a bad race. He has reflected on his habits and is working to be a better man. On September 29, 2024, his life changed forever. Becks Wallace, his son, was born that day.
Fatherhood changed Bubba Wallace, both as a man and as a race car driver. 2025, his first full season as a father, was the best season of his career so far. He made the second round of the playoffs and broke a 100-race winless streak at the Brickyard 400. To the new father, a bad race didn’t matter as much since he had so much to be grateful for.
“Nothing else matters anymore, besides being a great father, being a great husband, being a great family man,” the 32-year old said. “Prior to that, it was always racing first, and I’ve missed out on a lot of good memories and opportunities by putting that first and causing a lot of stress from within or the people surrounding me … It took having a kid to realize there’s so much more to life.”
The now father of two is currently 49 points to the good in his hunt for making his third career playoff appearance. This season has seen two top-5s, seven top-10s, and the birth of his second child and first daughter.
If you are reading this and need help, help is out there for you. If you are looking for someone to talk to in person, text your zip code to 435748 (HELP4U) and services near you will be provided, and if you are looking for help virtually text HELP to 741741 and a trained counselor will respond. To read more about male mental health, read this post from the Nami Help Line.
