Bubba Wallace calls out poor spotter positioning and safety laps at NASCAR tracks 

Bubba Wallace has raised serious questions about spotter positioning in certain NASCAR tracks where visibility is a major concern. The 23XI driver called out the lack of proper protocols as 'unacceptable,' as he drew attention to the recently concluded Mexico City race where spotters had no clear view of turn 1.

Unlike oval tracks, where spotters have a high vantage point with an unobstructed view of the race proceedings, road courses pose a serious challenge with their numerous turns and unpredictable sight lines. This causes blind sections that require multiple spotters, without which drivers face a potential safety risk.

Reflecting upon the same, Wallace spoke to the media on Friday (June 27) and said,

"Spotters into a turn one in Mexico, do you know where they were standing? You can't see anything. So if we want to talk about safety and all this stuff, either say we're not racing with spotters or get them in a position and make sure the area is safe for them to operate in to give us the safety and the protocols that we need."[5:52 onwards] Sticking them behind trees or behind banners or whatever is at this point where we're at in the year is completely unacceptable," he added.

Bubba Wallace has qualified 24th for Saturday's Quaker State 400 at Echopark Speedway, placing one spot behind his teammate, Tyler Reddick. The 260-lap affair also marks the beginning of the In-Season Challenge, where Wallace is set to face off against Trackhouse Racing's Daniel Suarez, who has qualified further back at 31st.

Fans can watch the race on TNT Sports at 7 PM ET.

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When Bubba Wallace's spotter detailed visibility struggles during the 2024 Gateway race

Back in June 2024, Bubba Wallace's spotter, Freddie Kraft, apologized to the Alabama native after a poor outing in the Enjoy Illinois 300. During an episode of the 'Door Bumper Clear' podcast, Kraft lamented visibility issues that led to his 'work job spotting' in many years.

"In turn one is you lose kind of sight of your car.....and you can’t see the runs coming because they’re driving straight away from you. And you can’t see who’s got momentum and you can’t see who’s kind of getting ready to peak out,” he said. [15:28 onwards]

This confusion resulted in poor communication with Bubba Wallace, but the #23 driver managed to avoid any race-ending wreck. He ultimately finished 21st in the event after starting inside the top 10 at eighth.

Kraft previously shared a clip from another track with visibility issues, the North Wilkesboro Speedway, where cars seemingly disappear due to vehicles parked in the infield.

NASCAR is set to face the same issues with the upcoming Chicago street course and at Sonoma Raceway, forcing teams to deploy multiple spotters to handle blind spots.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua