INTERVIEW: Bubba Wallace On Responsibility As A Black NASCAR Driver, Robinhood, Scrapping On The Track + More

Summary

The Breakfast Club Episode Summary: Bubba Wallace on Responsibility, Racing, and Robinhood Partnership

Release Date: April 2, 2025
Episode Title: INTERVIEW: Bubba Wallace On Responsibility As A Black NASCAR Driver, Robinhood, Scrapping On The Track + More
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guests: Bubba Wallace (NASCAR Driver), Steve Quirk (Robinhood Representative)

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Introduction and Guest Welcome

At the outset of the episode ([02:15]), hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God introduce the special guests: Bubba Wallace, a prominent NASCAR driver, and Steve Quirk from Robinhood. The conversation sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of Bubba’s role in NASCAR, his partnership with Robinhood, and the broader implications of diversity and financial literacy in sports.

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Breaking Barriers: Bubba Wallace’s Journey in NASCAR ([02:33] - [05:22])

First Black NASCAR Driver in Recent Years

Jonathan Lee Brody, one of the hosts, begins by acknowledging Bubba as the first black NASCAR driver in the Cup Series in a while. Bubba clarifies, "I wouldn't say the first. The first in a while," highlighting that while he may not be the absolute first, he is the first to secure a win in recent times since Scott in the 1960s. Bubba reflects on his eight-year tenure in the Cup Series, emphasizing the growth and challenges faced along the way.

Early Beginnings and Family Influence

When asked about his entry into racing, Bubba shares his childhood passion ignited by his father’s involvement with go-karts. "Started when I was a kid. And go karts. My dad had a go kart... I have yet to flip in my career." Despite his father's multiple flips, Bubba maintained composure and perseverance, setting a foundation for his racing career.

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Embracing Identity and Responsibility ([05:22] - [08:14])

Nickname “Bubba” and Cultural Balance

Bubba delves into the origins of his nickname, "My sister... just decided to call me Bubba," explaining it was a practical choice to avoid confusion at racetracks. He discusses balancing his biracial identity, remarking, "I have a black side of my family, I have a white side of my family... trying to just walk both paths can be tiring at times."

Responsibility as a Black NASCAR Driver

Addressing his unique position, Charlamagne Tha God inquires about Bubba’s sense of responsibility. Bubba responds, "We got some youth coming up. We got Raja Carruth... it's fun being a mentor to him and the others," highlighting his commitment to inspiring the next generation of diverse drivers.

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Navigating Racism and Promoting Respect ([08:14] - [16:00])

Experiences with Racism

Charlamagne probes into Bubba’s encounters with racism within NASCAR. Bubba emphasizes the pivotal role his mother played in mitigating negative media portrayals: "My mom was my… just never given the media any negative to talk about... I grew up in a diverse community and didn't see color." He underscores a philosophy of mutual respect: "We're all human beings and that's how I view each other."

Maintaining Focus on Performance

Bubba discusses the importance of focusing on racing performance over racial dynamics, stating, "All I cared about was winning." This mindset has enabled him to thrive despite the lack of diversity in the sport.

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Partnership with Robinhood: Financial Literacy Meets Racing ([08:14] - [24:35])

Introduction to Robinhood Partnership

The conversation shifts to Bubba’s collaboration with Robinhood, spearheaded by Steve Quirk. Steve explains Robinhood's mission: "Robinhood is an investing app... bringing 25 million young, very diverse, first-time investors into the marketplace." Bubba expresses enthusiasm for the partnership, "Excited for the partnership that we just announced...."

Aligning Goals: Empowering Youth

Steve elaborates on how Robinhood aligns with NASCAR’s values by engaging a youthful and diverse audience. "Until now, the whole system used to be kind of inaccessible for young people," Steve notes. The partnership aims to bridge this gap by promoting financial literacy through accessible investment tools.

Expanding Financial Education

Charlamagne inquires about Robinhood’s educational initiatives. Steve responds, "We do a lot in the way of education... university programs where we help people understand the importance of doing this in a suitable manner." Bubba adds, "We've decided to start working out better, start eating better...," tying personal discipline to financial success.

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Challenges in Securing Sponsorships ([14:21] - [16:00])

Marketability and Persistence

Charlamagne draws parallels between Bubba’s sponsorship challenges and those faced by Serena and Venus Williams. Bubba concurs, "We look at the sport and the personalities... trying to be super relatable to everybody." His authenticity and relatability have been key in overcoming initial sponsorship hurdles.

Building a Personal Brand

Bubba emphasizes the importance of being personable and authentic in attracting sponsors. "Persisting despite rejections and building a likable reputation," he explains. This approach has ultimately facilitated successful partnerships, including with Robinhood.

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On-Track Dynamics and Competitiveness ([16:00] - [21:22])

The Drive to Win

Discussing NASCAR’s growth, Bubba asserts, "I need to win. That's the easiest way." With only two wins in eight years, he feels compelled to enhance his performance to elevate both his career and the sport’s visibility.

Team Efforts and Experience

Bubba acknowledges the multifaceted nature of winning, involving the entire team, car performance, and sometimes luck. "It takes a whole team to win races... experience takes over." He contrasts his approach with veteran drivers’, highlighting his continuous learning process.

Handling On-Track Conflicts

The hosts explore Bubba’s experiences with on-track conflicts and rivalries. Bubba discusses respectful retaliation and the emotional aftermath of such incidents, "When you’re done wrong and you retaliate...." He shares insights into managing tensions while maintaining sportsmanship.

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Removing the Confederate Flag: Impact and Reflection ([25:22] - [27:10])

Taking a Stand for Inclusivity

Charlamagne addresses Bubba's role in banning the Confederate flag from NASCAR. Bubba explains, "We all came together in unison... it's been way better without it." He notes that opposition was minimal and unity prevailed within the sport.

Emotional and Social Toll

Bubba candidly discusses the emotional impact of this decision, including dealing with backlash and personal challenges. "The next week after Talladega... it was like a light switch," he recounts, revealing the strain of balancing public perception with personal convictions.

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Community Impact and Financial Literacy Initiatives ([30:30] - [31:34])

Expanding Educational Outreach

Steve Quirk highlights Robinhood’s commitment to financial literacy beyond partnerships, "We’re doing investments for financial literacy programs at Howard." Plans are underway to extend these programs to additional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), amplifying Robinhood’s mission to empower diverse communities economically.

Long-Term Vision for Youth Empowerment

Bubba reinforces the importance of early financial education, "The younger the, you know, everything shows that if you start at a young age...." This synergy between NASCAR and Robinhood aims to cultivate a financially savvy and empowered youth demographic.

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Conclusion and Final Remarks ([31:13] - [31:22])

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts express gratitude to Bubba Wallace and Steve Quirk for their insightful contributions. The discussion underscores the intersection of sports, diversity, and financial empowerment, highlighting how partnerships like that of Bubba and Robinhood can drive meaningful change both on and off the track.

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Notable Quotes

• Bubba Wallace ([03:53]): "It's been a really cool journey. Lots of ups and downs. It’s humbling knowing that there's not many of us there. But, you know, I'm leading the way for a generation that is paying attention."

• Bubba Wallace ([05:50]): "We're all human beings and that's how I view each other. And we just happen to be a little bit darker than others, and that's okay."

• Steve Quirk ([09:34]): "Robinhood is an investing app, and we've brought 25 million young, very diverse, first-time investors into the marketplace."

• Bubba Wallace ([14:21]): "It's about being super relatable to everybody and making a lasting impression to eventually have the investments come in."

• Bubba Wallace ([15:30]): "I need to win. That's the easiest way. I've only had two wins in eight years in the cup. It's unacceptable."

• Bubba Wallace ([18:56]): "If you show up with respect, you demand respect back. And if they can't give that back, then they're not the people for you."

• Steve Quirk ([30:35]): "We help a younger, more diverse group of people have access to financial services."

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This episode of The Breakfast Club offers a comprehensive look into Bubba Wallace's impactful journey in NASCAR, his significant role in promoting diversity, and his strategic partnership with Robinhood to foster financial literacy among young, diverse populations. The candid discussions provide valuable insights into overcoming barriers, maintaining integrity, and driving progress both personally and professionally.

Transcript

[Unknown Producer]

From the producers who brought you Princess of South beach comes a new podcast, the Setup. The setup follows a lonely museum curator. But when the perfect man walks into his life.

[Eric Andre]

Well, I guess I'm saying I like you, you like me.

[Unknown Producer]

He actually is too good to be true.

[Eric Andre]

This is a con. I'm conning you to get the Dalama painting. We could do this together.

[Unknown Producer]

Listen to the Setup on the iHeartRadio app. I Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duella. Spectre 2. I'm Tia Sirkar. Sabine Wren. Spectre 5.

[Eric Andre]

I'm Taylor Gray. Ezra Bridger, Specter VI.

[Jon Lee Brody]

And I'm Jon Librody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Each week we're gonna rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blume voices Zaborielio's Spectre 4 or Dante Bosco voices Jaquel.

[Vanessa Marshall]

So hang on because it's going to be a fun ride.

[DJ Envy]

Cue the music.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Eric Andre]

Hey, what's up, y'all?

This is Eric Andre.

But I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely tanking on stage. I tell gnarly stories and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing in all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in life. Like the time I stole a girl's phone during a set and she d on stage and threw a big haymaker.

[Steve Quirk]

Punch to my nose.

[Eric Andre]

Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colleen Witt]

Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here. And Eating While Broke is back for season four every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season we've got a legendary lineup serving up broke dishes and even better stories. On the menu we have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa Ford, October London and Carrie Harper. Turning Big Macs into big moves. Catch Eating While Broke every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts. Wherever you get your favorite shows, come hungry for season four.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning.

[Eric Andre]

The Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess. Hilarious Charlemagne. The God we are the Breakfast Club. We got some special guests in the building. We have Bubba Wallace and Steve Quirk. Welcome, fellas.

[Eric Andre]

What's going on day, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Bubba, how does it feel? And I know you get this all the time, but how does it feel being the first black NASCAR driver?

[Eric Andre]

I wouldn't say the first. The first in a while.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay. Oh, you weren't the first.

[Eric Andre]

No. When the Scott was the. The. He opened the door for all of us, and so I've been the first to win since him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Gotcha.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How long ago was him?

[Eric Andre]

I was at 60s.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

Right. So it's. It's been a really cool journey. Lots of up and downs. You know, being a. Being in the cup series for eight years now has been. I've learned a lot. I've grown a lot. I've got a couple gray hairs in my beard from. From. I guess every year that I've been in that. I'd say every race I've been in the cup series, but it's. It's humbling knowing that there's not many of us there. But, you know, I'm leading the way for a generation that. That is paying attention. You have a following and a demographic that wants to be a part of this sport. It's cool to be at the. At the front of that.

[DJ Envy]

How did you get into race car driving?

[Eric Andre]

Started when I was a kid. And go karts. My dad had a go kart. He raced a couple times. He flipped all three times. I have yet to flip in my career.

[DJ Envy]

Okay. All right.

[Eric Andre]

But my. My dad got us started and he invited us to come out, or he told us to come out and watch a family friend of ours and just sitting in the stands, became a fan that way, Bought a go kart and went racing.

[Unknown Moderator]

Where the name Bubba come from?

[Eric Andre]

My sister. Yes. We don't know why she won't. She said she didn't have a speech impediment. She just decided to call me Bubba. So she's five years older than me. Yeah.

[Steve Quirk]

And it's stuck ever since.

[Eric Andre]

Well, it was confusing at the racetrack. Right. Because I'm a junior, so. Hey, Daryl. My dad would turn around and they were trying to get in touch with me, so we were just like, let's. Let's go with Bubba. It makes it easier and it's fun. Everybody's a bubble.

[Unknown Moderator]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Especially down south.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's up, Bubba?

[Eric Andre]

What's up, Bubba?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Do you. So you embrace the responsibility of being, you know, the. I guess. Are you the only black NASCAR driver.

[Eric Andre]

At the cup level? Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you embrace the responsibility of being that person at the forefront to inspire the next generation.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. Yeah. We got we got some youth coming up. We got Raja Carruth coming up through in the truck series, and it's. It's fun being a mentor to him and the others coming through. And, yeah, I sense a responsibility there to, you know, carry myself the right way, but also show that, you know, I'm here to stay and make a name for myself as well. So, you know, the only way to create boundaries is to cross them and figure out, you know, what to do, what not to do. So I've made some mistakes along the way, but it's shaped me and helped me to become who I am today. And so, you know, off track, on track, stuff has been phenomenal. I can say this. This whole year started out really, really strong for us, and nothing's better than winning. So it's been a while since I've been in victory lane, but it's not from a lack of effort.

[DJ Envy]

How difficult? I'm sorry, go ahead.

[Unknown Moderator]

What part of North Carolina are you from?

[Eric Andre]

Charlotte.

[Unknown Moderator]

Charlotte. Okay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

704.

[Eric Andre]

700.

[Unknown Moderator]

That was big. That was big. Growing up, race car was okay.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. So, like, I grew up 15 minutes from the racetrack dope. So all the race teams were all within a 30 minute radius of each other. Wow.

[DJ Envy]

I was gonna ask how difficult was it because coming up, there wasn't too many of us in the stands, and I'm sure there's not too many of us in the stands now, but there was way less in the stands. So how difficult was that? I'm sure you had to face racism, other drivers, other team. How difficult was fighting through that?

[Eric Andre]

Honestly, my. My mom was my. My parents, both my parents, but my mom was, you know, the driving force behind of. Just never given the media any negative to talk about. Right. Well, I failed at that a couple times, but she was always just keeping me aware of the said scenarios. Right. And. And for me, though, I grew up in a, well, diverse community and didn't see color. Still don't. And it just didn't matter to me. So when I jumped into it, there was, I think, two of us that, that were of color. And Benny Mingo, he actually works at our race shop now, so it's crazy how he works on our race cars, but it was just the two of us and didn't bother me one bit. You know, growing up, you know, the higher you. You got in the rankings, the better you got, you know, the faster the cars. You know, I was the only one and still didn't bother me. All I cared about was winning. And it sounds like a very Just cliche. Typical straight line answer. But I didn't give a damn. Right? And I still don't because at the end of the day, we're all human beings and that's how I view each other. And we just happen to be a little bit darker than others, and that's okay. But if you treat each other with respect, then you demand that respect back. And if they can't give that back, then they're not the people for you. So that's how I've kind of viewed life and have enjoyed life, no matter what's thrown at us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I agree with that. You know, when you. But you being a biracial, right. Whenever you feel. When people come at you for being black, do you ever feel like, well, I'm. I'm white too, Halfway there.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. I mean, you have to kind of balance both hats, really, you know? You know, I have a black side of my family, I have a white side of my family, and so whose food is better? That's a good question.

[Unknown Moderator]

Where do you go for Thanksgiving?

[Eric Andre]

That's a good. I like to stay home now. I ain't got to do nothing. Damn, you put me on the spot.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't think it's that difficult, you know?

[Eric Andre]

You know, I have to go with my sister. I have to go with my sister. The black side of family. Yeah.

[Unknown Moderator]

She named you Bubbly?

[Eric Andre]

No, I think just, you know, trying to just walk both paths can. Can be tiring at sometimes because I just want to walk down the middle, but it's just never that easy sometimes.

[DJ Envy]

So now, before we get to. You're dealing with Steve, I want to ask how many people come up to you and try to race you in the street when you have a drive? And does that happen a lot?

[Eric Andre]

No, because I have tent on my windows, so you can't see who's driving.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

And do you ever get crazy on the street? Sometimes you just like.

[Eric Andre]

No, no, I. I don't waste time, though. So if we got to drive to the grocery store, I'll. I know how to get to the grocery store, but I'll plug it in GPS to see which way is the fastest way and to see if I can get there faster.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?

[Eric Andre]

Of course.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Really?

[Eric Andre]

Actually, it's been a long, long time. And I can say I've. I've been. I've been pulled over, you know, 20, 20 something times and only got like three tickets.

[Unknown Moderator]

That's nice.

[Eric Andre]

It's nice.

[Unknown Moderator]

The white side.

[Eric Andre]

That's right. I thought it was because you, they recognize you. That's what I was going with. But she got to it first. That's what I was going with.

[DJ Envy]

Now you hit with Steve. Steve Quirk with Robin Hood. So what's your relationship with Robin Hood?

[Eric Andre]

Hood? It's just starting out. So excited for the partnership that we just announced be a part of 2311 and sponsoring myself and Corey Heim in a couple cup races this year. So, you know, hats off to everybody at Airspeed on the marketing side of things to bring in new sponsors to the sport. So this will be the first time that Robin Hood's a part of our sport in this sort of capacity. And it's special, so it's fast paced so they can keep up.

[Steve Quirk]

Yeah, it's our first national sponsorship of sports. We have a couple NBA teams that we sponsor.

[DJ Envy]

For people that don't know what Robinhood is and what they do.

[Steve Quirk]

Yeah, yeah. Let me quickly explain. So Robinhood Basic, we have about 25 million customers and Robinhood is an investing app. And what we've been largely credited with is bringing 25 million young, very diverse, first time investors into the marketplace. So in the US we're sitting close to 60% of US households now are invested in the market. That's, that's the envy of the world. It's like 20% in Asia or Europe or other places. And what we did is just remove the friction. So if you have $5, if you have $10, you can invest. We removed all the friction, made it very easy for people to have access to the greatest wealth creation vehicle in the world. So as important as it is for you to make money, you have to put that money to work. And we've made that really accessible for young people.

[DJ Envy]

My kids have Robin Hood and it's very accessible. They know how to use it, they invest in it. They're not investing a lot of money, but $5, $10, it's a start for them at a young age.

[Steve Quirk]

But it used to like, the whole system used to be kind of, really kind of inaccessible for young people because you had to wait till you got, you know, this amount of money to be able to do it. And so really by the time you got around to investing, it was a little bit too late. The second component that we're really, really strongly focused on is it's one thing to give them access, but it's another thing to make sure that they do it in a way that's going to be sustainable and that they're going to have a good investing career. So we do a lot in the way of education, both within our site and the app, but also we go out to universities. We have a bunch of university programs where we help people understand the importance of doing this in a suitable manner. And then we give them access to all of this and provide them with curriculum. And then we have a newsletter that goes out every morning to. We have 40 million people subscribed, basically describes the day's news and then if there's something within that news that could be an investable opportunity for them.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's your vetting process, bubba, when it comes to like who you choose to take on as a sponsor willing to pay.

[Eric Andre]

Let's go make it happen. I mean, hey, I come from, I remember, man, we were doing about anything just to get anybody to spend a buck, right? And so it's, it's, it's a tough sport to be a part of and want to invest into and for new companies to come into the sport and not know which way's up, down, left or right. I mean, I would be hesitant as well. And so in taking a risk on a kid that's trying to find his way throughout the cup series. But I feel like now we've established ourselves, established our name, you know, within the race team, within the sport, it makes it easier for companies that want to be in part of our journey. And yeah, you got, you're associated with MJ.

[Steve Quirk]

So.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Now how is that? MJ's a co owner. So how is he as a co owner? Do y'all speak much? Do y'all talk much? Do y'all play one on one basketball?

[Eric Andre]

How is he not the basketball piece? He taught me if I know I'm gonna go into something and lose and not don't compete at all. So he won't jump into a race car, I won't jump on the basketball court.

[DJ Envy]

Gotcha.

[Eric Andre]

And so MJ is super involved and, and it might be a shock to a lot of people and I think it was for me to start because you think of somebody as, as big as MJ that can be doing anything else that he wants with his time and his money. He has a strong passion for nascar. He's been a fan, he's watched even before he was, became a team owner, he was a kid going to the races. Darlington, Talladega, Charlotte. He was going all these places with his family growing up and so he's always had a strong knack for, for NASCAR and what it provides. And so now him being invested, oh, it's game over. He's he's watching each and every weekend, whether he's here or overseas, what he, whatever he's doing. I have a text before and after the race every weekend.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What does he say? I lost some money betting on you?

[Eric Andre]

No, it's always encouraging. He's always, he's a glass half full guy. No matter how rough the day gets, he's always searching for the positives. And so it's helped me grow up a lot in a short amount of time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What about you, Steve? What made y'all want to say, you know what NASCAR is where we want to spend our money?

[Steve Quirk]

Well, if we look at our customers, they're very into sports, but they're, if we just look at a Robin Hood versus a non Robin Hood customer, they're four times more likely. They're into motorsports, particularly nascar. And so this gives us broad exposure, you know, nationally as well, which I think is very positive. And, and they just, you know, they're as passionate about their sports as they are about their investing. So they tie together pretty nicely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Got you. Was it hard for you to get sponsorships, Bubba? Because, you know, you always hear the stories about Serena Williams. Even though she was dominant, you know, in tennis for a period of time, her and Venus, it was hard for them to get sponsorships. People just didn't feel like they were marketable. Was it the same for you?

[Eric Andre]

Absolutely. You know, we look at the sport and the, the personalities that you have within, inside of our sport and there's, there's a select few and I feel like I'm, I'm near the top of the list of just being personable and likable despite all the BS that goes on. You know, I'm going to tell you how I feel and I feel like a lot of us inside of our sport are very straight edged and cookie cutter. Right. And that's, that's okay. You don't want to show your true colors or show your cards. You keep that in your personal life, that's fine. But for me, I've always just been trying, I try to be super relatable to everybody I meet and make a lasting impression, to eventually have the investments come in and the funding come in. And it seemed like nothing we ever did would work. And for whatever reason that is, it was what it was, but it never stopped me from pursuing what I wanted to do and fighting hard. Now I look at the people that potentially said, no, we're good and just laugh because we're in a good spot.

[DJ Envy]

Now, what does the sport have to do to increase. Right. Because it's. I feel like it's been in that same spot for a long time and it hasn't really grown as I thought it would. What do you think it needs to do?

[Eric Andre]

I need to win. There you go. I think that's the easiest way to go about it. I need to win. You look at. I mean, golf didn't really change too. Too much, you know, but Tiger was dominant, right. And created a lot of buzz. But I've only had two wins in my eight years in being in cup, so to me that's unacceptable. So the way that we've been performing this year, last two races, finishing third, two spots away from. From doing just that. So I'll take full responsibility and helping that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Whose fault is it?

[DJ Envy]

I was gonna say that.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is it the car?

[DJ Envy]

Is it the car? The driver?

[Eric Andre]

As a driver, you never blame yourself, so it's always somebody else's fault. So that's just how drivers operate. But it takes a. It takes a whole team to win races and man, it's tough. The next level after cup level is retirement. So it's the hardest thing that you'll ever do in forms of motorsports in the form the path that we're on. And so the guys you're going against have been doing it. Denny, he, he won my. The second cone, our other boss, he won Sunday. But he's been in the sport for 20 years. And so I'm my eighth year. So it's just experience takes over. Um, but it takes a car, it takes a crew chief, it takes the driver, it takes pit crew and just a lot of luck to. To get these things, you know, in the right way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This could be a stupid question. I don't know. How do you know that certain people on the. On on the team might not be sabotaging you though, just because for, you know, they might be mad at you.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. Confederate flag out of now we. We have a good process and knowing like basically feeding out the bullshit. Right. And you know, you have to show up ready to work and, and as simple as I think you look at who the owners are, MJ and Denny, they care about winning and they care about doing it with integrity. And if you don't have that, then it's, it's, it's. It's game over for them. So we don't have to worry about that. And I, I never really have who's.

[DJ Envy]

The toughest driver you ever faced and why? And nascar is it like that. Like, you know, as a basketball, you can Say this is the toughest opponent in hockey. This is the toughest baseball. This is the toughest team.

[Eric Andre]

Different. It's. It's different in regards of the tracks that we go to. You know, for example, Denny had won this weekend, and this is at Martinsville, which is one of his best tracks. And so when you show up to said track, it's like, who's the guy to beat? That's how you look at it. So it's always different throughout the, throughout the circuit, throughout the year. So I can't pinpoint it to one who's the biggest asshole. That also changes, too. Depends on the mood that we're in.

[Steve Quirk]

What's your favorite track?

[Eric Andre]

Favorite track? Martinsville is one of them. So Bristol's coming up here in two weeks. That's another good one. Mostly all the short tracks, but also the ones we've won out too. So Talladega and Kansas are good.

[DJ Envy]

Y'all get scrapping sometimes. Y'all. Y'all fight on that, on those tracks sometimes.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, yeah. And, and it's, you know, you feel like you're, you've, you're done wrong. Because I go back to the respect thing. You show up with respect. You. You man respect in return. And, and sometimes you feel like you're shorted or you're done wrong. And for whatever reason, you know, when I'm done wrong and I retaliate, it's. It's the world's end. And all I'm doing. And when I've. When I was growing up, you know, being taught is, you just get even.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Eric Andre]

So I'm just getting even. Like, oh, okay, we're good. We can shake hands after the fact. We're good now, but massive deal.

[DJ Envy]

Y'all get suspended after y'all get into a fight. Because I remember you got into a fight a couple of years ago. Did you get suspended? Is there any penalties or anything?

[Eric Andre]

No, well, the, the rules are constantly changing. You know, I got suspended for right rear hooking somebody, which basically a pit maneuver. And, and rightfully so, because it's happened to me twice throughout my career.

[DJ Envy]

And explain what that is. I'm lost.

[Eric Andre]

Like a pit maneuver, like somebody turns into you on your right rear, spins you out, and like, it's a, it's a. The, the opposing car that you've done it to is you just turn them right head on into the wall and almost like high rate speed. Yeah, kind of. And so versus, like hook them in. In the left rear, like, they kind of just go spinning throughout the infield. And kind of get it gathered back up. So it's happened to me twice in my career and it's the most, I'd say, one of the most disrespectful things you can do. And I found myself stoop down to that level and commit the same deal. But the guy had just come up to me and run me up in the wall and was like, oh, we're just going to go on about our day. No, no, no.

[DJ Envy]

They said that you did it on purpose.

[Eric Andre]

That's what they say. So people are going to always talk and have their opinions and that it is what it is. But I regret doing that. I can say that truthfully. And we've moved on past that. But as far as fighting, no, because one, it's. We're entertainment business and so it's good, good for entertainment. But you're quick to jump in, so you have to, you have to be methodical about how you want to go about it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Isn't it a matter of life and death when you out there making 100 plus miles per hour like it is?

[Eric Andre]

Our safety's come a long way, um, so you don't think of it in that sort of fashion. But, you know, all it takes is one wrong move. So.

[Unknown Moderator]

Do you want to raise Denny Hamlin?

[Eric Andre]

Do I want to?

[Unknown Moderator]

Do you want to?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Unknown Moderator]

Okay. Because he was, he was asked about you. He asked what you need to do to beat him and win your first race in nearly two years. And he said, you have a decision to make. If you need to make more speed on corner exit, you must sacrifice something else somewhere. You can't just put the throttle down and get more speed on exit. It's an approach thing. Maybe you need to slide, slow up your sensor a little bit more. Do you agree with him?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah. Do you know what that means?

[Unknown Moderator]

No.

[DJ Envy]

That's why you're here.

[Eric Andre]

Verbatim, right there. Word for a word.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Now, now you have to explain.

[Eric Andre]

Explain. So that's just attacking the corners. So the exit, Exit of the corner versus the center of the corner versus the entry of the corner. There's. There's ways to approach every corner differently. And, you know, it goes back to the experience. Denny's been at these racetracks for 20 years as to where I'm figuring it out still. So he kind of has a better feeling for what to expect on entry and center to set him up for a better exit as to where. I'm just like, I'm going to send it off in there and figure it out. So it's it definitely takes a lot of time and a lot of seat time, a lot of just skill and management and having the right people around.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You quote for you, Bubba, and I want to ask Steve this too. What do you consider the most rewarding aspect of the work in the racing world, especially if, if you're not winning. And for you, Steve, what's the benefit other than visibility if Bubba's not winning?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, I would say the last three years I've really taken it upon myself of, of trying different things but putting in the work and putting in the effort. And it seemed like the last two years, the previous two years, it didn't matter what I did, it kind of ended up in the same results. And so this year I kind of didn't flip the script. I said we're gonna, you know, start working out better, start eating better, you know, doing all the necessary things, paying attention to my sleep, all these types of things. And the results are starting to show up quicker. And so the rewarding thing is knowing that you can pour your heart and soul into something and when it doesn't work out the way you want it, then a lot of self doubt creeps in because you take it. For me, I take it up on my shoulders like, well damn, I guess I'm not good enough. But then you see others that are doing half the job but getting it done. And so it's like, well damn, what's the scenario I need to put myself in? Well, I think it comes down to just trusting the process and I've realized that, and I've said this recently a lot, that your timeline is going to be either quicker or slower than mine. And that's okay. That's how we're built. We have to appreciate the scenario that we're in for ourselves and work on self and continuing to do that because at the end of the day that's all you got when you get into the.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What about you Steve? What's the benefit of like what's the rewarding aspect of the work that Bubba's doing in the racing world if he's not winning for Robin Hood?

[Steve Quirk]

I would say it, well, it starts really with think about Robin Hood and the mission and what we're all aligned on, which is helping, helping a younger, more diverse group of people have access to financial services and what that creates. And that's why we're very aligned with 2311. And of course this, I can say this because I'm a little older. This is a very impressive young man here. I mean extremely impressive. And we're completely aligned in seeing success, not only from 2311, but of course from Bubba.

[DJ Envy]

I was gonna ask, when you get into those car wrecks, right, you get a call from mj, and he's not like, bubba, another car. How much of those cars cost to replace? And do you fix those calls or you just totally get a new car?

[Eric Andre]

It's, it's circumstantial. Like, if you cause the wreck and you're, you know, and it becomes like a repeated offense, then it's like, all right, what are we doing? But a lot of the wrecks that, you know, I've been a part of, like, I can truthfully say it hasn't been my fault. Like, we're just caught up in somebody else's mess. But at the end of the day, you do find yourself. If you do find yourself in somebody else's mess constantly, then it starts to deter, to back to you because it's like, quit putting yourself in that scenario. Well, it's easy to blame, like, well, again, it wasn't my fault. It doesn't matter. Like, run better. Run. Run closer up front or try a different type, better center for a better exit. The corners, the corners, you know, so it's, it's. It. It all comes back to self at the end of the day and how you can do what you can do to be better, to not put yourself in, in said scenarios. But, but, yeah, it can get annoying sometimes, but at least not for me because I'm not paying the bill.

[DJ Envy]

How much of those cost to replace? Ballpark?

[Eric Andre]

I don't know what we're up to. 500, 600, 000 per call.

[DJ Envy]

And how many calls do you have in the storage just in case?

[Eric Andre]

We're only allowed, I think, like seven to eight on rotation now. How many of you wrecked this year? Like two this year. That's 22 years. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's a necessary expense, I would think, right?

[Eric Andre]

Like, it's a lot. I mean, that's why you want to have good partners to foot the bill. So. Thanks, Robin Hood. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, I wanted to ask, you know, you played a big role in getting the Confederate Flag banned from NASCAR eventually. How did other drivers who didn't want it banned treat you after it was banned?

[Eric Andre]

I necessarily can't say that they didn't want it banned, so I didn't know really know their. Their viewpoint on it, but I think we all came together and, you know, as one, as in unison, and, And I think that's all you could ask for. In sports, but for the ones that necessarily didn't want it banned, they've never come forward or shown their displeasure. So I can honestly say the sports has, has been way better without it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So hold on. How do you know they haven't shown their displeasure? Because there was a news found in your garage back in 2020. Was that before or after?

[Eric Andre]

Oh, well, that's, it's all. We think we're all human enough to, you know, if in, in out of the driver's world, you know, if you have a problem with it, you just kind of keep it to yourself and move on. And, And I'm not treated differently or I just, I don't speak to said drivers, but I haven't had any instances where the drivers have come at me for, for, you know, removing the Confederate flag. It's, it's been, everybody's been in support of it and we've moved on. So it is what it is.

[DJ Envy]

They ever get to the bottom of the new thing and find out who did it or no?

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, it was, it was there before we got there, years before we got there. And it's just coincidence that I had that garage.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn.

[Eric Andre]

So like, it's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They knew you was coming.

[Eric Andre]

It's wild. So, you know, it is still a topic of discussion to this day. It's. It's wild. You should see my Twitter mentions, like, Bubba finished third. Was there a noose? You know, it's, it's, it's wild that that is still going about it. And. But no, it was there before we even got there. And just the one in a million quadrillion coincidences that I had that garage doll. And in fact, it was tied in a fashion like that. It could have been this small. It doesn't matter. And so it is what it is. And, and we've moved on from it. And it sucks that the sport was put in that situation, that I was put in that situation. Our team was put in that situation. But we've learned a lot about who we are as a sport and who we are as competitors, and that's all you can ask for.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did it take a toll on you emotionally?

[Eric Andre]

Oh, those year or two after that was rough, you know, because, you know, I went from being one of the most. I wouldn't say the most liked drivers, but favorable drivers, you know, but now it's just been the booze and stuff. And that's okay because it's sports and I, I'm a big, you know, I love going to college football games, Tennessee. And college basketball games. And I'm not a person that booze other teams because I'm kind of in the sports world myself, and it just kind of seems childish. But fans do what they want, so booing is a part of sports in general. But it was, you know, the next week after Talladega, it was like a light switch and it was like, whoa, wow. We're, you know, like, holy, I didn't ask for this. And. And so now it's. They're making noise. You know, I've always been told and I've read things is when they stop making noise is when it's worse.

[DJ Envy]

So, yeah, you still get. Do you get scared when you get in that car? Get fear? Fear at all?

[Eric Andre]

No, no fear.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'd be afraid. I'd be afraid for you.

[Eric Andre]

I appreciate that. Do you drive fast on the roads?

[DJ Envy]

Hell no.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's why I'd be afraid for you.

[DJ Envy]

When I was younger, I was one of them stupid kids that was flying in and out of traffic. I think we all were at one time, right?

[Eric Andre]

And so, you know, you climb in and just do it, and that's that for us. If you have the fear, that is, that is seconds that you're. That you're giving up. And I mean, we're talking about fighting for thousands of an inch. Giving up seconds for just being scared. Can't have it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I hate people who speed. Whenever I get a call, somebody who speed, I'd be like, are you in a rush to die?

[Eric Andre]

It is, it is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But I mean, it's your job. I understand.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah, but on the roads it's different because, you know, people's lives are at stake and the safety. And I've always said, you know, I don't speed on the roads because the safety of my race car is way higher than, than a streetcar. Right. I have nine, 12 point harness, whatever it is, and we got one seatbelt in a car and that's it. So I can take a. I can take multiple wrecks on Sundays going 180, 200 miles an hour versus a 90 mile per hour wreck here, and it's. It's over.

[DJ Envy]

So I go live. But if I do see you on the road, I got to try you one time. I mean, look at, you know. You know, I mean, he just said.

[Unknown Moderator]

He was a stupid kid.

[Steve Quirk]

Yo, brother.

[Eric Andre]

You saw, son.

[Unknown Moderator]

But I got one time, everybody encouraging.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

People to do the dumbest thing.

[Eric Andre]

Everybody needs to be humbled. So that's fine. You can, you could take that, you can take that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And Steve, shout out to Robin Hood Y'all made investments for financial literacy programs at Howard, right?

[Eric Andre]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Are y'all going to do that at other HBCUs too?

[Steve Quirk]

TCU? Yeah, we're 12 universities and expanding.

[Eric Andre]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow.

[Steve Quirk]

All across the country.

[Eric Andre]

Very cool.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why is that important for Robin Hood?

[Steve Quirk]

I think it's important because you want to make sure that people at the, at a very young age start to understand how to do it responsibly and suitably. The younger the, I mean, everything shows that if you know, just the power of compounding alone, you start at a young age, you know, you're going to, you're going to benefit at an older age. I, I'm one of those annoying fathers who has three 20 some year old daughters and, and I pound on them. You got to put that money to work. Put that money to work, be invested in that. And I said one day you'll thank me.

[DJ Envy]

We appreciate you guys for joining us.

[Steve Quirk]

Absolutely.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you so much.

[Eric Andre]

Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

Good luck with everything. Bubba and Steve, thank you. Appreciate you for joining us. It's the Breakfast Club. It's Bubba Wallace and Steve Quirk. Thank you guys.

[Steve Quirk]

Thank you.

[Eric Andre]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels Rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Duela Spector 2 I Zirkar Sabine Wren, Spectre 5.

[Eric Andre]

I'm Taylor Gray. Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6.

[Jon Lee Brody]

And I'm Jon Lee Brody, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator.

[Vanessa Marshall]

Each week we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind the scenes stories.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve blum voices Zabarelio's Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco voicing Jake Hell and many others.

[Vanessa Marshall]

So hang on because it's going to be a fun ride.

[Eric Andre]

Cue the music.

[Jon Lee Brody]

Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Unknown Producer]

From the producers who brought you Princess of South beach comes a new podcast, the Setup. The setup follows a lonely museum curator. But when the perfect man walks into.

[Eric Andre]

His life, well, I guess I'm saying I like you, you like me.

[Unknown Producer]

He actually is too good to be true.

[Eric Andre]

This is a con. I'm conning you to get the Dalama painting. We could do this together.

[Unknown Producer]

Listen to the setup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Eric Andre]

Hey, what's up, y'all?

This is Eric Andre.

I made a podcast called Bombing about absolutely Tanking on stage. I tell gnarly stories and I talk to friends about their worst moments of bombing in all sorts of ways. Bombing on stage, bombing in public, bombing in light. Like the time I stole a girl's phone during a set and she jumped on stage and threw a big haymaker.

[Steve Quirk]

Punch to my nose.

[Eric Andre]

Listen to Bombing with Eric Andre on Will Ferrell's Big Money Players Network on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colleen Witt]

Are you hungry? Colleen Witt here and Eating While Broke is back for season four every Thursday on the Black Effect Podcast Network. This season we've got a legendary lineup serving up broke dishes and even better stories on the menu. We have Tony Baker, Nick Cannon, Melissa for October London and Carrie Harper. Howie turning Big Macs into big moves. Catch Eating While Broke every Thursday on the Black Effect podcast network. IHeartRadio app Apple podcast Wherever you get your favorite shows, come hungry for season four.