Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace offer surprising take on 'Talladega Nights'

There are very few topics that are off limits for NASCAR drivers, who go through a litany of media obligations every week as they seek to grow the sport. Sometimes even ‘Talladega Nights‘ slips into the conversation.

Asked on the Rubbin’ Is Racing podcast what his thoughts on the famous Will Ferrell movie is, Bubba Wallace revealed a surprising opinion.

“Bad. It’s not like a good racing movie,” Wallace said. “It’s just a comedy. I remember watching it, I think I was high school, maybe like a freshman or something, and I seen that come out and I was like, ‘They’re making fun of our sport.’ And I was like, ‘That’s not right.’ But then I’ve watched it multiple times now and I’m like, ‘Ah, OK, some scenes are funny’ … but it’s Will Ferrell. Love him as an actor for sure.

“But people that say that’s their best racing movie, it’s like you guys are missing the boat. For sure.”

That’s a fair enough critique from a real NASCAR driver. Talladega Nights is very much a comedy first and foremost. While it’s got some accurate racing elements, it also cartoonizes the sport a bit.

Wallace wasn’t alone in his opinion on the immensely popular movie, either.

“If you’re a driver and that’s your favorite racing movie, I don’t know about that,” Chase Elliott said. “That’s pretty far off base.”

The driver of the No. 9 car did provide some feedback on why he feels that way about Talladega Nights.

It’s not super deep. The sport is just tough to represent in film.

“It’s so hard to convey. That’s the easiest way for them to convey it is the way they did it,” Elliott said. “And that’s such a departure from reality, but that’s the easiest way for them to do it.”

So while the two drivers would probably enjoy Talladega Nights on a more casual viewing, it doesn’t stand up to more rigorous scrutiny from some of the people who know the sport the best.