Bubba Wallace reveals how long he plans to stay in NASCAR

Bubba Wallace knows when it will be time to end his NASCAR career. While appearing on the Rubbin is Racing podcast, Wallace was asked if he has given any thought to how long he wants to race.

“Easiest answer is as long as you keep getting paid,” Wallace said. “I think there comes to a point where if you feel like your competitiveness starts to fall, then it’s like okay, you need to look yourself in the mirror that next season that comes up and be like this could be your last.

“I would honestly say I’m not the one to just ride around for a paycheck. I still want to be competitive, and so when that opportunity runs out, then that’ll be it for me.”

Bubba Wallace is not retiring anytime soon, as he’s in the prime of his NASCAR Cup Series career. The 31-year-old is in his eighth season as a full-time Cup Series driver and signed a multiyear contract extension with 23XI Racing in September.

Bubba Wallace is starting 2025 off to a fast start

Wallace is off to a strong start in 2025. He won the first Duel at Daytona and earned a P9 finish at the Atlanta race this past Sunday. He is looking to bounce back this season after narrowly missing out on the playoffs in 2024.

“It’s just the beginning,” Wallace told reporters after winning the Duel earlier this month. “You can get very complacent in life and your professional life, and you can keep doing the same routines over and feel like you’re not moving the needle or getting anywhere, and you are getting the same results. So it’s ultimately how you control your destiny is how you wake up each and every day.

“If you wake up with, eh, (expletive) mindset, then that’s how it’s going to be. If you show up and put emphasis behind that F-word, then it’s really going to make a difference. You have to roll your sleeves up and deal with all the BS. I was not happy with myself. Every time I looked in the mirror, I wasn’t happy. Physical appearance, mental appearance, it needed to change.”

Wallace has earned two victories and 47 top-10 finishes in 255 career Cup Series starts. He finished second at the Daytona 500 in 2018 and 2022, making him the highest finishing Black driver in the race.