Bubba Wallace, Michael Jordan hosting block party ahead of NASCAR Chicago Street Race

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan will host a block party on the Southside of Chicago Wednesday ahead of Sunday’s Grant Park 220 Chicago Street Race.

“Bubba’s Block Party” will take place at The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. The event will feature a performance from Chicago-based rapper Lupe Fiasco, racing-themed entertainment and local food from Black-owned businesses.

“A lot of people [have been[ saying that they don’t feel welcomed to be a part of our sport. I’ve been racing for 20 years, going on 21 years now, and I couldn’t think of being anywhere else,” Wallace told the Chicago Tribune, via The Comeback. “… I’ve always enjoyed my time, except when I lose,” Wallace said. But from the stories that I’ve heard and people’s comments, we got to be better.

“You’ve always heard the labels about our sport whether it’s being racist, redneck or whatnot. That’s very far from the truth. There’s always a couple bad apples, but a couple bad apples doesn’t portray the whole picture of our sport.”

Bubba Wallace, NASCAR drivers facing the unknown in Chicago Street Race

The Grant Park 220 will be the first street race in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series. While a win would be historic for any competitor, for Wallace, it would automatically qualify him for the playoffs. Wallace, who made his 200th Cup Series start this past Sunday in the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, admitted he didn’t know what to expect in the Chicago Street Race.

“You know, we did that virtual race two years ago… and so you kind of remember it a little bit,” Wallace said, via CBS News Chicago. “But it was nice to knock the rest off and to put corners together. I think going into it, you know, you’ve got to have a fresh mindset – and expect the unexpected. It’s going to be tight-corners racing – a lot of 90-degree corners; a lot of one-lane roads. So I guess you can’t really say groove – we’re going to be talking about roads – and whether that’s the left lane or the right lane.”