Coming off a season in which he emerged as one of the faces of NASCAR, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. will be headed for a new home in 2021.
Wallace announced Thursday that he would not return to the No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports next season. The 26-year-old disclosed the news publicly on Twitter.
“This was not an easy decision as I have nothing but the utmost respect for Richard Petty and his family, but I believe it’s time for someone else to take over the reins of the No. 43,” Wallace wrote. “Thank you to the King and everyone at Richard Petty Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to start my Cup Series career.
“I’ve grown so much as a driver and as a person since joining them. We’ve got nine more races together, and I hope we can finish the 2020 season on a high note.”
This has been a breakout year for Wallace, not merely because of the improvement he’s been able to guide the No. 43 to on the track, but due to the public stance he has taken against systemic racism. The only Black driver in NASCAR, Wallace has since been rumored in connection with seats potentially opening at Chip Ganassi Racing, although he has yet to formally announce his plans beyond this season.
Thumbnail photo Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports Images
