Second-Place Finish Best All-Time Among African-American Drivers;
Final Episodes of ‘Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace’ to Premiere on February 22
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 21, 2018) – A dramatic, runner-up finish in the 2018 DAYTONA 500 by the first full-time African-American driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series since 1971 will be chronicled in the final two episodes of “Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace,” the new docu-series on Facebook Watch.
The final episodes in the original series will post at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 22, and can be viewed by following the Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace show page. The first six episodes, which premiered last week, are available now on demand.
In his first start in the Great American Race, Wallace edged out 2016 DAYTONA 500 champion Denny Hamlin to take second place in the sport’s most prestigious event, which was won by driver Austin Dillon. The result marks the best-ever finish by an African-American driver in the DAYTONA 500.
Both the lead-up to Wallace’s debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, including a third-place finish in his Can-Am Duel qualifying race, and his emotional press conference after the DAYTONA 500 will be featured in the series’ final episodes on Facebook Watch.
“The whole experience of my first DAYTONA 500 was amazing,” said Wallace. “Through Facebook Watch, fans are going to be able to see what I went through leading into Sunday’s race and after it. It’s really cool to be able to share those moments and emotion with all our fans. Everyone needs to check it out.”
The first six episodes of “Behind the Wall: Bubba Wallace,” produced by NASCAR Productions, follow Wallace’s road to Daytona International Speedway – from his earliest racing days to his debut as the new full-time driver of the No. 43 Click n’ Close Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Richard Petty Motorsports.
The series follows Wallace in the months and weeks leading up to the 2018 season, including encounters with team owner and NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty, Charlotte Hornets rookie Malik Monk and close friend and fellow NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney.
In the final episodes, the cameras capture Wallace as the clock ticks down to the biggest race of his life, including a surprise, pre-race phone call from pro baseball legend and fellow Alabama native Hank Aaron.
Following the dramatic final lap and Wallace’s second-place finish, the series documents a teary-eyed reunion between the driver and his mother as she interrupts his press conference to congratulate him.
“For years to come, fans will remember Bubba Wallace’s performance in the 60th running of the DAYTONA 500,” said Evan Parker, NASCAR managing director, content strategy. “On Facebook Watch, we’re giving fans unfiltered access to a NASCAR star in the making – straight from the perspective of Bubba himself.”
Prior to graduating to NASCAR’s top series, Wallace competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In October 2013, he won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway to become the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Wendell Scott in 1963.
In 2012, Wallace became the first graduate of the NASCAR Drive for Diversity development program to compete in a NASCAR national series race. Since then, he’s won six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
Facebook Watch is a video platform created to bring episodic content, community and conversation together on Facebook. The platform is home to a wide variety of sports shows, including reality, documentary and live sports.
About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR XFINITY Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), four regional series, one local grassroots series and three international series. The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).
About Facebook Watch
Facebook Watch is a place to discover and enjoy shows on Facebook. Home to a wide range of shows – from scripted comedy and drama, to competition and reality series, to individual creators and live sports – Facebook Watch is a video platform where episodic content, community and conversation come together. This is a personalized viewing experience, where you can discover new series based on what your friends are watching, and catch up on the shows you follow. Facebook Watch is available for free on mobile apps across Apple and Android, on desktop, laptop and on TV apps listed here: https://videoapp.fb.com/.
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. RPM is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup history with 273 wins and has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C. and is supported by primary partners Click n’ Close, STP and the United States Air Force. For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.com or connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).
