In January 2024, 23XI Racing announced that they had struck up a partnership with the United States Air Force, with the latter being the primary sponsor for Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 team. Ever since the deal, Wallace has been making the most of it, with social media becoming an eye witness to Wallace’s shenanigans.
However, the favor doesn’t just work one way, as Wallace often does his part to support the USAF whenever needed. And keeping in line with the same, Wallace recently spoke to a USAF master sergeant in a Q&A promotional video.
Master Sergeant Jokes About Recruitment Story With Bubba Wallace
Wallace’s connection with the Air Force goes back further than 2024. The USAF sponsored him for eight Cup Series races from 2018 to 2020 while he was driving for Richard Petty Motorsports.
In April 2024, Wallace honored the long-standing bond by running a “Flying Tigers” theme at the Würth 400. The scheme paid tribute to the WWII squadron that flew in 1941 and 1942, and it also celebrated the A-10 Thunderbolt. Four Vietnam War veterans’ names were featured on the hood of the car as well.
Now, Wallace is back promoting the Air Force as part of its latest recruitment push. In a recent video, he met with a USAF master sergeant who was identified as “Master Sergeant Sheldon.”
Speaking to Sheldon, Wallace asked him what led him to want to join the Air Force. And Sheldon’s response was the last thing Wallace would have expected.
“Well, I went into the wrong office, and they sent me on a bus to Lackland [Air Force Base]. Here I am, 18 years later,” he said.
Sheldon then got serious and revealed that he had a couple of uncles who had served in the Army. He had once gone down to visit one of them at the Dover Air Base, and Sheldon was blown away by what he saw. And that experience led him to want to join the forces as well.
Further along in the video, Wallace asked what Sheldon thought was his favorite part about being in the Air Force.
Without skipping a beat, the master sergeant replied, “Family.” He claimed that no matter where they go in the world, the army people always have brothers and sisters everywhere. They understand what one has gone through, “and that is the best part.”
The two flipped the script as well, with Sheldon asking Wallace about what it is like to be a NASCAR driver. Wallace gave his own origin story: “I started when I was nine.”
“We went and watched a family friend race, we got hooked just by being a fan of the sport, and, next thing you know, we went out and bought a go-kart, and 22 years later, here we are.”