WEBVTT - Bubba Wallace Full Interview 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.080 Listening makes us smarter, more connected people. It makes us 0:00:03.080 --> 0:00:06.240 better partners, parents, and leaders, and there's no better place 0:00:06.280 --> 0:00:09.280 to start listening than Audible. Audible is where so many 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:12.600 inspiring voices and compelling stories open listeners up to new 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:15.760 experiences in ways of thinking. Audible members now get more 0:00:15.800 --> 0:00:18.880 than ever before. Members choose three titles every month, one 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:22.000 audiobook plus two Audible originals that you can't hear anywhere else. 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:24.760 Members also have unlimited access to more than a hundred 0:00:24.840 --> 0:00:29.280 audio guided fitness and meditation programs. 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Explore all the ways listening on Audible 0:01:02.360 --> 0:01:06.360 can help improve mind, body, and soul with entertainment, information 0:01:06.600 --> 0:01:08.800 and inspiration. You can get titles from your favorite I 0:01:08.840 --> 0:01:12.000 Heeart talent such as Chelsea Handler, Danny Shapiro, Charlemagne the God, 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:14.399 and Bobby Bones on Audible. Start listening now with a 0:01:14.440 --> 0:01:17.360 thirty day Audible trial and your first audiobook plus two 0:01:17.360 --> 0:01:20.880 Audible originals are free. Visit audible dot com, slash I 0:01:21.040 --> 0:01:24.280 heart or text I Heeart to five hundred, five hundred. 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:27.160 My next guest. He's a two star, and I'm sure 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:30.959 he has that same problem, you know, especially you know 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:35.360 he raised the bar in NASCAR on February when he 0:01:35.400 --> 0:01:39.319 became the highest finishing African American driver at the world. 0:01:39.400 --> 0:01:42.080 Right now, daytone of five hundred, when you took the 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:46.120 checker flag in the second position. Please welcome to money 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:52.360 making conversation. Darryl Bubba Wallace. How's it going there? If 0:01:52.400 --> 0:01:57.520 that ain't a race card name, a NASCAR name? Brothers, 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:01.320 is there is there? Man? And you throw there and 0:02:01.360 --> 0:02:04.200 you hung on that there there you dude, I'm from 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:06.440 Uston Tech. You can't throw out that little country and 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:09.440 not let me catch you that that. How about there? Hey, 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:13.480 I'm from Alabama. So it's so you're Slade from Alabama 0:02:13.600 --> 0:02:15.000 and now you're up in the Charlotte there, and so 0:02:15.040 --> 0:02:19.360 you just slid across all these southern states, picked up 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:23.240 every language into That's right. So I was off there. 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:26.960 I was just telling you that you're based on in Concord, uh, 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:29.240 North Carolina, which is right outside of Charlotte. And then 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:30.480 my daughter used to play a lot of it. She 0:02:30.560 --> 0:02:33.799 used to be a national touring tennis player and we 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:35.640 used to go up to Concorde and play those major 0:02:35.680 --> 0:02:39.640 tennis tournaments. Okay, I know how expensive that that that is. 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:42.560 That's why you people talk about golf being expensive. That's 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:45.400 why you see tiger Wood where the rest that well, golf, 0:02:45.440 --> 0:02:48.800 it's currently expensive. Same thing tennis, you know where the 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:51.919 rest of what is on the Serena and Venus that's it. 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:55.760 Nobody else it's expensive you know to put into. Now 0:02:55.840 --> 0:03:00.680 you're going into a sport, my man, who or the 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:06.520 checkbook writing is huge. Walk us back a little bit 0:03:06.600 --> 0:03:10.200 before we talk about that that historical moment at Daytona 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:11.799 five hot and plus we're gonna talk about what you're 0:03:11.840 --> 0:03:14.320 during the day, but really I want to give my 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:17.280 my listeners, your fans, and opportunity to hear a little 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:20.679 bit about your journey the Darrel. I remember when I 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:23.760 watched the press conference when your mom came and hug 0:03:23.760 --> 0:03:26.200 yous U was in tears, and you know, it was 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:28.360 such a money for me as an African American. It 0:03:28.400 --> 0:03:30.840 was such a special moment because even in today we 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:34.600 got eighteen, we're still sitting records, we're still breaking barriers, 0:03:35.080 --> 0:03:38.080 and that's important. And I don't want to like gloss 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:40.680 over that because of the fact that you are a 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:44.880 role model, you feel, and being a role model that 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:47.520 puts additional pressure because people want you to repeat it 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:50.840 so quickly. Well, he's there now, you know, tyger Woods 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:52.440 has come back from injury. People want him to win 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:55.520 the Masters immediately, you know, you know, they just won't. 0:03:55.600 --> 0:03:58.680 They won't. They won't results sometimes so quickly. So talk 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:02.520 about getting started in NASCAR, if if a person has 0:04:02.520 --> 0:04:04.840 a level of interest and walking through the ticket time 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:08.560 and walking through the steps. Yeah, so I started out 0:04:08.640 --> 0:04:12.720 race when I was nine years old years old, that's right. Yeah, 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:14.880 you don't need a driver's license to drive a NASCAR 0:04:15.000 --> 0:04:17.680 so uh, you just have the checkbook to go out 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:19.920 and buy a go cart and to be successful and 0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:23.400 then so be it. So uh well, I can't leave that. 0:04:23.480 --> 0:04:26.440 See I'm for phil war Texas. I had a gold call. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.600 My dad put a little motor law More engine on 0:04:29.640 --> 0:04:32.080 the back of a little a little a little thing 0:04:32.120 --> 0:04:34.080 that he created, and we raced him down the street 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:36.960 and the dog used to chase me, yeah when I 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.720 drove past him. So, so I had a little go cart. Now, 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:42.040 so I will come to let you know that I 0:04:42.080 --> 0:04:46.200 had a little Nascar experience at nine when my dad's 0:04:46.240 --> 0:04:48.360 left that law More on the back of that gold cart. 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:50.720 So I know that cart. So that's kind of like 0:04:50.720 --> 0:04:53.560 how you started, right, Yeah, that's right. So it's a 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:56.599 little bit different. Um these are kind of built the 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:58.279 go carts we had are kind of built for for 0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:02.839 racing an abso aids around him and everything. So um 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:05.680 so we spent about uh we spent about two years 0:05:05.800 --> 0:05:08.920 in each series that we had, um that we had 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:11.360 you know, been a part of, and we would graduate 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:15.680 to a bigger and faster car and uh work our 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:18.360 way up through the ranks, uh, grabbing plenty of winds 0:05:18.720 --> 0:05:20.640 going through both of the emotions, the highs and lows, 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:23.080 plenty of wins, plenty of rex. Uh, you learned from 0:05:23.120 --> 0:05:25.000 the rex to go back out and win the next weekend. 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.039 So we just stayed. Uh. We stayed hungry for each 0:05:28.040 --> 0:05:30.560 and every race, each and every weekend throughout the year, 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:33.840 just to just to be better and we should be 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:37.880 better than than the previous race. So UM, so I 0:05:37.920 --> 0:05:41.960 went about twenty starts thousand nine tells each ousan nine 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:45.080 rolled around. We had gotten into a full size stock car, 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:49.320 about four hundred horsepower late model stock car. UM and 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.479 UH we had done really great that year, and we 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.600 had gotten a call from coach Gibbs, which uh, I 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:57.760 think a lot of people know for UH football coach 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:00.920 for the Redskins Super Super Bowl, A winning coach from 0:06:00.920 --> 0:06:05.080 the right, that's right. So we got a call from 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:07.280 from their department there to come out and try to 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:10.720 do a tryout for their race team, and UM, we 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:12.680 were one of the top prospects out of that and 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:14.680 we ended up signing on with them for a handful 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:18.120 of years UH running in the cann Series or under 0:06:18.360 --> 0:06:22.039 also under the Drive Diversity program. So it was a 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.440 little bit of a whirlwindows of stuff we had going on, 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:28.159 UM but UM, but it was a great time that 0:06:28.200 --> 0:06:29.960 we had. There was was j g R all the 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:33.440 way up until twenty uh fifteen we had switched over 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:36.800 to UH Jump teams to UH with Jack Roush and 0:06:36.880 --> 0:06:40.640 rash Finlay Racing UM and UH I had some great 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:44.320 years there and then now we're finally at the top 0:06:44.440 --> 0:06:48.599 level and then Monster Engine NASCAR Cup Series UM racing 0:06:48.640 --> 0:06:51.320 for the King Richard Petty. So it's been a it's 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:54.600 been a long process, a hard thought process, but it's 0:06:54.640 --> 0:06:56.720 all part of it and looking back on and I 0:06:56.720 --> 0:06:58.760 wouldn't trade it for anything. Well, you can't. You can't 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:00.359 because of the fact that you do on what you 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:04.120 what you love and UH just talk about the business 0:07:04.120 --> 0:07:07.719 side of being a NASCAR driver because it's beyond your 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:10.360 talented person, but you also have to be a business person. 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:14.280 You also have to be a person that advertiser sponsors 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:18.960 deem a credible investment for their for their fame, for 0:07:19.000 --> 0:07:21.080 their fan base. Is whether you know where your Chick 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:23.880 fil A or Target, or your Forward or you or 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.560 is a gas company? How does that work far the 0:07:27.640 --> 0:07:31.640 business side of NASCAR for you and your brand? Yeah, 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:35.520 so you know I'm representing brands each every day now, UM. 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:37.760 You know, whether I'm at the racetrack or not, I'm 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:41.440 still an ambassador for for all of our partners that 0:07:41.480 --> 0:07:44.800 are part of our PM, that are part of our team. 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:47.440 Um So you know I slip up and that that 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:49.720 that costs heavily for all of us. So you definitely 0:07:49.760 --> 0:07:52.640 have to you know, athletes are put on a pedestal, 0:07:52.720 --> 0:07:55.880 which isn't the greatest thing in the world. We have 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:57.640 to have to take that initiative and take that next 0:07:57.680 --> 0:08:00.360 step of being that role model and represents an the 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:04.320 best way we can UM to UH to make sure 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:07.640 we've come across and the most positive light. So um 0:08:07.680 --> 0:08:10.320 so being able to U represent the many brands that 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:13.120 we have, such a STP which is been a longtime 0:08:13.160 --> 0:08:15.760 partner with Richard Petty and everybody at our PM. We 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:18.920 represent the Air Force. UM new partners have come on 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:24.040 board this year with and UM and and also we 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:26.360 just signed on a brand new sponsor for a handful 0:08:26.400 --> 0:08:29.080 of races with or wide technology out of St. Louis. 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.840 So UH, there's many other associate sponsors that we are 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:34.640 partnered with. I mean, for me a personal service, I'm 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:37.760 I'm a ambassador for Coca Cola, so excited to have 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:41.080 them Chevrolet. So it's a lot of partners that make 0:08:41.120 --> 0:08:44.920 our our program happen. So uniform is like like like 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:48.000 like like tattered up right now, Yeah, that's what that's 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:53.800 the goal, right, that's the Yeah, the goal right underneath 0:08:53.800 --> 0:08:55.960 the neck, you know. Then all this is the sleeve, 0:08:56.640 --> 0:09:00.360 the breast area. So man, you're out there looking good. 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:03.520 That's what you are, looking good exactly. You got to 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:06.200 you gotta represent now. Now with that being said, you 0:09:06.200 --> 0:09:08.600 know what you you you're selling your brain, you're marking 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:12.839 your brand now the pressure of because of the fact that, 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:15.920 let's let's be real, you're any in in a sport 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:19.360 that's that's uh poorly attended by African Americans. I know 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:22.400 NASCAR is making a focused effort to give a more 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:26.079 minority participation as far as attendees. Now. But you but 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:28.959 you can't sell your brand as an African American. You 0:09:29.000 --> 0:09:31.240 have to sell your brand is a brand that that 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:35.000 everybody wants to participate in. So that's a responsibility to 0:09:35.040 --> 0:09:39.280 maintain a universal approach to how you communicate the brand 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:43.520 that you're that you're successfully and correct, yes, correct and 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:46.520 and uh for us to you know, at at the 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:49.240 same time of representing all those brands I am, I'm 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:53.199 still selling myself, uh for potential partners out there that 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:55.560 are that are interested in the sport. So you know, 0:09:55.600 --> 0:09:59.199 whether it's African American owned company or a sponsor that 0:09:59.320 --> 0:10:02.120 that been around for years they're looking for a new outlet. 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:06.280 I'm continuing, uh to you know, sell myself in the 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:08.760 best way that I can. Here's here's my here's my 0:10:08.840 --> 0:10:11.640 number one thought about what you're doing is that I'm 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:14.160 proud of what you're doing. I know it's a difficult 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:16.679 it's a difficult world that you live in because I 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:20.560 know how busy you've been. When you one finished the Apology, 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:23.480 when you finished second at Dayton of five, I immediately 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:25.920 try to get you on my show, Moneymaking comes out 0:10:27.520 --> 0:10:30.040 this how long I've been hunting you down. You know, 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:33.640 Marge went away, April went away. We almost at labor Day. 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:36.760 I finally got that. Just let me know. That's but 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.199 that's a blessing though, because that means that, man, you're 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:41.400 in demand. And when we come back, we're gonna talk 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:44.680 about how do you balance that demand for your time 0:10:45.120 --> 0:10:47.800 as well as be a significant driver on in the 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.000 NASCAR series because that's really difficult and a lot of 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:52.360 people to understand that it's all right to have fans, 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:55.520 but the business has to be the priority. Be right 0:10:55.520 --> 0:10:59.640 back with more money making conversation. Hi, this ra Sean McDonald. 0:10:59.640 --> 0:11:02.559 You're let's need to money making conversation. My guest. Uh, 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:06.040 he raised the bar in NASCAR on February of this 0:11:06.120 --> 0:11:09.520 year when he became the highest finishing African American driver 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:12.760 at the world renowned Daytona five hundred when you took 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:16.199 the checkered flag in the second position. Please welcome again 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:20.280 back to money making conversation, Darryl Bubba Wallace. Darrel. Here's 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:22.200 here's the question. I wanted to say that you we 0:11:22.240 --> 0:11:25.360 talked about a little bit about how how when you 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:28.080 immediately want I immediately was just pressing to get you 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:31.199 on my show. And so that means that a lot 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:33.800 of people now on this date, you're on my show. 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:39.040 So that means a lot of people want or demanding 0:11:39.080 --> 0:11:42.760 of your time. How do you balance that? Yeah, it's tough. 0:11:43.040 --> 0:11:45.840 You surround yourself with great people to uh to be 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:49.200 able to rely on them to kind of create you, uh, 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:52.720 a steady schedule keep you, you know, somewhat busy, but 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:56.320 don't overwhelm you and and make you lose focus on 0:11:56.320 --> 0:11:58.960 on what the task in hand is. And obviously that's 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:02.800 that's the races each and every weekend. So um, but 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:04.800 you know, being at the top level, you know, I 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:06.880 knew coming into it that you know a lot of 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.120 people are gonna be pulling me in different directions, trying 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:11.000 to get me to do anything and everything under the sun. 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:13.040 And you have to kind of, you know, once you 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:14.880 get to this level as well, you kind of look 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:18.160 at your options and and uh, you know, see, you 0:12:18.200 --> 0:12:20.800 know what's gonna help, what's just gonna you know, not 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:23.040 really gonna do much. And and we set up that 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:26.120 schedule from months out. You know, we're trying, you know, 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:28.400 we we get the requests, like you say, you requested 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:31.080 right away, and by that time we had we had 0:12:31.120 --> 0:12:34.400 had a scheduled planned out. So for the way, no, no, no, 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:37.280 don't apologize. Don't apologize, because they told me, they said, look, 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.000 he has a schedule, and he's only he's you know, 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:41.959 your driver. You know, you just what you do for 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:43.880 a living. So I don't want you to pologize. I 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:47.080 just want everybody to know that you have a job 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:50.920 to do and being on moneivating conversation is a bonus 0:12:50.960 --> 0:12:52.600 for me. But you still got a job to do 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:55.440 because you have to win races. That's that's the goal. 0:12:55.559 --> 0:12:58.640 These all these sponses that come to you that glow 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:02.760 up February, February and FEBRUARYWORI tends to dim if it 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.520 doesn't if it's what if if not match with similar 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:09.600 results are victories because they need for people to get 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:13.480 excited about your product, your social media growth, you when 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:17.120 you you you, you affect ratings, you affect attendance. All 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:21.319 those things come into place. So give me a snapshot 0:13:21.360 --> 0:13:24.760 of of of your team that that surrounds you and 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:27.440 the roles they play and keeping your life balance, keeping 0:13:27.480 --> 0:13:32.000 your car rolling, and keeping you focused on your dream. Yeah, 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:35.080 my guys are great. Um, you know, we we have 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:36.920 a lot of fun. We had you know, formed the 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:40.040 relationship last year when I had subbed in for hark 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:43.080 Yamarolla when he had gotten hurt and I was just 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:45.880 a filling driver. And you know, the team and myself 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:49.040 really clicked really well. So it's exciting to you know, 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:51.240 be teamed up with them, paired up with them, for 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.360 this season. And uh, we're we're hitting on a lot 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:56.160 of good notes right now and having a lot of 0:13:56.160 --> 0:13:58.719 fun you know, away and at the race tracks. So 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:00.679 that always helps when you and you can you know, 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:03.400 gel in the right way and have that you know 0:14:03.679 --> 0:14:07.079 that that chemistry with the team. Uh that that helps 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:10.160 with the on track performance. So excited about that. But 0:14:10.240 --> 0:14:13.920 they they bust their tails, you know, from from Monday 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:16.440 to Sunday and then getting right back up Monday morning 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:18.720 and do it all over again. So uh, you know, 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:22.040 they're they're hard work. Is is for sure, it doesn't 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:25.040 go unnoticed. And uh you know without them, you know there, 0:14:25.160 --> 0:14:27.840 there wouldn't be anything at all for us. So put 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:29.840 us in the car, put us in the car of 0:14:30.960 --> 0:14:34.600 a day of preparation for because you're like to say, 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:38.200 you're in a vehicle that we see crashes all the time. 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:41.800 Some fans come to NASCAR races for the crashes, right 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:45.760 and so so so there is a touch of danger 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:50.120 in your profession. And you see, I've been the NASCAR 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:51.960 racist and I've seen a tie go up in the 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:54.520 stands and I go, whoa. You know that I wasn't 0:14:54.520 --> 0:14:57.600 sitting over there, and so and so and so so 0:14:57.640 --> 0:14:59.560 that's so that's a touch of danger for the fan 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:02.520 and a touched a lot of danga for the race 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:05.720 the drivers. So walk us through the steps of the 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:08.960 mental side of preparation. And once you sit that behind 0:15:09.000 --> 0:15:12.080 the wheel, and what what takes you the victory? What 0:15:12.160 --> 0:15:16.640 takes you to success? Yeah, it's uh, it's a it's 0:15:16.680 --> 0:15:18.440 a it's a long process that comes with all the 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:22.960 seat time and and uh and preparation from fifteen years 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:26.000 ago when I started. Uh, you get to go through 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:28.840 all the wrecks and stuff. Some you have some some 0:15:28.960 --> 0:15:31.520 drivers crash worse than others. And you know, you knock 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:33.880 on wood when you know a car flips over. I've 0:15:33.880 --> 0:15:35.920 never flipped a knock on wood, but when you see 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:38.680 that stuff, it makes you tense up. And and you know, 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.000 we rest our lives each and every time we climb 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:43.440 in the race car. Uh. Fortunately for us, you know, 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:46.560 safety has come a long way throughout the sport. It's 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:49.080 evolving every day, or that they're making the cars super 0:15:49.120 --> 0:15:51.720 safe now. So we can take those two hund a 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:54.000 mile an hour, hit head on into a wall and 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:56.840 get out and maybe just be a little sore the 0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:59.960 next day. And instead of laying in the hospital bed 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:02.520 for months funt a time. So it's definitely come a 0:16:02.520 --> 0:16:05.200 long way from from where it was. But for us, 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:07.520 that's the last thing we think about when we don't 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:10.040 put that in front of us, and we go out 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:12.080 and uh try to do the best that we can 0:16:12.160 --> 0:16:14.120 and and all of us have the hungry appetite to 0:16:14.320 --> 0:16:17.160 across that finish line first, so we uh, we we 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:20.920 strive to do that. Now. No, I just believe me, 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:25.080 they're they're asking that question. Was just the mindset of 0:16:24.680 --> 0:16:29.480 of something that is rarely experienced by a person of color, 0:16:30.080 --> 0:16:32.480 and and and and the fact that you've chosen the 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:35.160 profession that I always tell people, you know, I don't 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:37.760 like flying, but I gotta fly on planes. And I 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:39.440 believe me, I don't like getting on I gotta get 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:42.560 on the plane this afternoon. And I'm I'm not I'm 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:44.760 not happy, but that's what I gotta do for a living. 0:16:45.240 --> 0:16:47.320 So so when you when you're doing something as part 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:49.320 of my career path, So when I look at what 0:16:49.360 --> 0:16:53.400 you're doing now, is your graduate of NASCAR's Drive for 0:16:53.560 --> 0:16:58.480 Diversity program, right? What is that? And how many people 0:16:58.640 --> 0:17:01.800 are drivers participate eight on an annual basis to get 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:04.040 out of that program because the key thing that you 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:06.240 want to don't want to be is to be a 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:09.639 one off or a novice at this. You know what 0:17:09.640 --> 0:17:11.720 I'm saying, Well, you want to you want to have 0:17:11.760 --> 0:17:16.000 a career because you are a full time NASCAR driver, 0:17:16.960 --> 0:17:20.159 right yeah, that's um, you know for me starting out 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:23.160 in the university program. Um, you know, that really gave 0:17:23.160 --> 0:17:26.520 me a shot, my my foot in the door into 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:29.960 the ranks of NASCAR and and um, you know at 0:17:30.000 --> 0:17:32.520 the at the time that program was it had been 0:17:32.520 --> 0:17:34.679 around for a while, but they had revamped it and 0:17:34.720 --> 0:17:37.200 brought all the drivers in the house to compete against 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:39.239 each other and go out compete against other racers. So 0:17:39.920 --> 0:17:42.400 um we um. We had a lot of on track 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:44.600 success there and a lot off track success there as well. 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:46.720 We were on the reality show with Bat called Changing 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:51.760 Lanes that right right right there? Were you that show? Yes, 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:54.959 I was. It was a great, great publicity stunt for us. 0:17:55.000 --> 0:17:57.159 They really got our name out there and took us 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:58.960 at the next level. And then when the on track 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:02.679 success just helps that much more so. Um. So you know, 0:18:02.760 --> 0:18:05.480 having that and seeing where it is today, uh that 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:08.240 they're still pushing drivers through the system, trying to get 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:10.200 them to that next step. So it's been fun watch. 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:12.520 Now would that be saying they said, okay, we got 0:18:12.600 --> 0:18:15.280 we got a hot young African America driver on the track. 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:20.320 Is their additional responsibility for you? Uh? Do do get 0:18:20.320 --> 0:18:24.320 the attendance of minorities at two tracks around the country? 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:27.920 Is there is there a responsibility that not only you 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:30.440 should drive, but you have to promote the brand to 0:18:30.720 --> 0:18:34.960 increase attendance for minorities. I mean it's there, but it's 0:18:35.000 --> 0:18:37.800 it's more if you put it on yourself personally. Um, 0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:41.080 you know, for me, I'm super competitive, so I've always 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:44.520 like the results speak for itself and and let and 0:18:44.640 --> 0:18:48.160 let the fan base see that and see like, okay, 0:18:48.200 --> 0:18:50.920 this is a guy we can get behind. But unfortunately, 0:18:50.960 --> 0:18:54.960 nowadays everything is becoming so dependent on equipment that the 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:57.879 best don't get to show their their true colors just 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:00.280 because maybe their equipment a little behind. So, you know, 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:03.440 we're a much smaller team than than the big guys 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:05.040 that are that are running out front every day, and 0:19:05.040 --> 0:19:07.320 we're doing the best that what with what we got 0:19:07.720 --> 0:19:10.360 to uh to go out there and compete. So when 0:19:10.400 --> 0:19:12.919 we do great things it's a much bigger story for 0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:15.840 us because we're such a smaller team. So, uh, you know, 0:19:15.880 --> 0:19:18.040 like I said earlier, my guys are are working their 0:19:18.080 --> 0:19:20.639 tails off to us to make us and get us 0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:23.520 better equipment each and every weekend. Sometimes it works out, 0:19:23.560 --> 0:19:27.639 sometimes it doesn't. That's just that's the life of racing. Okay. Cool. 0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:30.960 So with that being said, you you as a as 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:33.480 a as an up and comer and and and trying 0:19:33.520 --> 0:19:35.960 to build your brand to the next level, trying to 0:19:35.960 --> 0:19:39.320 reach out to people getting sponsorship. So so I just 0:19:39.320 --> 0:19:42.840 want everybody understand that NASCAR is not about just driving. 0:19:43.520 --> 0:19:46.720 You know, you reckon a car can change the game 0:19:46.920 --> 0:19:51.359 for a driver. Uh well, the gas cost money, tires 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:55.320 cost money, all the right pick crew costs money. So 0:19:55.400 --> 0:19:57.399 you have to have encompass a lot of things to 0:19:57.480 --> 0:20:00.760 the lanes of success. And what it means you have 0:20:00.800 --> 0:20:04.400 to have sponsors. So you're constantly trying to get sponsors 0:20:04.720 --> 0:20:09.960 to stay on board to financially support your dream. That's right, Yeah, 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:13.480 that's uh. This the sport has become really uh sponsor 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:16.560 driven sports, and uh it costs a lot of money 0:20:16.600 --> 0:20:18.280 just for one race, just for being at the track 0:20:18.400 --> 0:20:21.399 for for two days. It costs a lot of money. 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:24.440 So uh, and that's uh. I wouldn't say it's a 0:20:24.480 --> 0:20:27.399 bad thing, but it definitely doesn't help things. Um you know, 0:20:27.480 --> 0:20:30.280 especially for small teams trying to just get by, and 0:20:30.560 --> 0:20:32.639