It’s not every day that you see a pro athlete doing everyday things we all do while wearing what they usually were to work. But for Darrell Wallace Jr. on Thursday, he didn’t really have a choice.
While the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is in Daytona for its traditional Fourth of July weekend race, Bubba needed to get something to eat after wrapping up a day full of practice as well as taking passengers around a promotional ride along for Coca-Cola. But because he was locked out of being able to change into his street clothes, he had to improvise. He simply walked across the street to Chick-fil-A and gave fans dining there a bit of a shock.
Bubba was apparently joined by Ryan Blaney’s family.
Ayeeee ran into my fam! Momma Blaney wasn't having it! But the sis @ErinBlaney was! 🤘 pic.twitter.com/zRxwRi1TJ0
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 30, 2017
Wallace explained that after the ride along concluded at around 8:30, he was locked out and just went to get something to eat in his fire suit. He also apologized for the smell for obvious, sweating-for-multiple-hours-in-a-hot-race-car reasons.
Reason I'm still in my suit, is we had @CocaColaRacing ride along tonight, finished at 830. Everything was locked up to change back so 🤷🏽♂️
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 30, 2017
Sorry to the people in line around me here at chickfila, still in my firesuit from 3:00 today!🤢 smelling stankkkk
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) June 30, 2017
In all seriousness, in a world where NASCAR drivers are trying to promote their sponsors (and themselves) in various creative ways, why doesn’t someone just do this as they go about town during the week? Sure, I’m sure drivers would love to just blend in with society every once in a while, but how wild would it be to see Kyle Larson going to Target and pushing a cart and buying groceries in his fire suit?
And if a driver is struggling to find sponsorship, maybe he should walk around in his fire suit outside the track the morning before a race and bring the fans to him. Get some press in the media, get in with the fans by talking and signing autographs with them for a couple hours and the sponsors will notice and follow.
