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Bubba Wallace speaks during a CBS Mornings feature on 23XI Racing
A behind-the-scenes feature on CBS Mornings offered a closer look inside 23XI Racing, the NASCAR organization co-owned by Michael Jordan. The segment highlighted the team’s growing infrastructure and competitive mindset, but Bubba Wallace delivered the most revealing perspective.
The CBS Mornings interview with Bubba Wallace offered a rare look inside both 23XI Racing and the personal realities of competing in NASCAR.
Speaking with co-host Nate Burleson, Wallace pulled back the curtain on what it takes to compete at NASCAR’s highest level, where performance is measured in fractions and the stakes extend well beyond the track.
Inside 23XI Racing’s Pursuit of Every Advantage
Located just outside Charlotte, North Carolina, 23XI Racing operates out of a modern team campus built to support every aspect of performance. The facility includes a film room, a full fitness center, and collaborative workspaces designed to refine both car and driver.
In many ways, that environment reflects the reality of the sport. Success is rarely about sweeping changes. It is built on incremental gains.
“We’re fighting for thousandths of an inch. That’s it,” Wallace said. “We’re trying to find every little low-hanging fruit to capitalize on to make the full potential of our car that much better.”
That level of precision is not optional in today’s NASCAR landscape. It is the baseline.
Michael Jordan’s Competitive Standard Shapes the Culture
At the same time, the tone inside 23XI Racing is influenced heavily by Jordan’s approach to competition. While his presence in NASCAR may still surprise some, Wallace made clear that the connection is rooted in something simple.
“It’s surprising to know that MJ has such a knack and such a passion for NASCAR, for motorsports in general,” Wallace said. “He loves to compete. Loves cars. Loves going fast.”
That mindset carries over into the team’s expectations.
“If you know you’re gonna go into something and lose then don’t compete,” Wallace said, recalling a message from Jordan.
That standard leaves little room for complacency. Preparation, detail, and intent are expected at every level of the organization.
Bubba Wallace CBS Mornings Interview Reveals the Reality of Risk
While much of the conversation centered on performance, Wallace also addressed a part of racing that is less frequently discussed. When asked whether he feels fear on the track, his answer was direct and grounded in his life away from it.
“I do. I fear death because everything is right here,” Wallace said. “I’m enjoying life with our beautiful baby boy, beautiful wife, beautiful home we just built. Everything is just clicking. And when that’s all done. That’s what scares me the most. Not retiring done. But death. That’s it.”
Wallace didn’t frame the comment for effect. Instead, it reflected an understanding of the reality that comes with the job.
“Climbing into the car that is always there. We’re doing an incredibly dangerous sport. We go, we react, and we deal with the consequences,” he said. “I think that takes a lot of courage from my wife, my family to trust in that and know that I’m ok climbing in and that could be my last time.”
Balancing Precision, Pressure, and Perspective
Ultimately, the CBS Mornings interview with Bubba Wallace ultimately presented two sides of 23XI Racing. One is defined by cutting-edge resources, competitive standards, and the pursuit of marginal gains. The other is more personal, shaped by the realities drivers carry with them each time they strap in.
Wallace’s comments connected those two worlds.
In a sport where outcomes are decided by thousandths of a second, the focus is often on performance alone. But moments like this serve as a reminder that behind the data, technology, and competition, there are human stakes that cannot be measured the same way.
For 23XI Racing, the goal is to maximize everything within its control. For Wallace, that includes not only extracting speed from the car, but also understanding what it means to keep showing up and competing at the highest level.
Maggie MacKenzie Maggie MacKenzie covers NASCAR for Heavy.com. She previously worked for NASCAR.com, where she reported, wrote, and edited race-weekend coverage and traveled to key events throughout the season. She has more than ten years of experience in sports media and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. More about Maggie MacKenzie
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