HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace returned to the Richmond Raceway for his annual block party Friday night.
Fans from across the community gathered for the free event from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Raceway. Wallace met with fans for a fireside chat. Artist Gina Net got a portrait she painted of Wallace, in which half of his face is shown and the other half is covered by his racing gear, signed.
“Definitely tested my skills. Something different but, [I figured] half portrait half helmet, [kind of] shows a different side of him as a regular person and then him actually out there on the raceway,” said Net. “Last time he had his wife come look, he was like ‘let me show my wife’.”
Net says this year, Wallace waved his wife over to look at the drawing again.
Guests at the block party could enjoy NASCAR iRacing simulators, live pit stops and real race cars. There was also a food truck village, which included several Black-owned businesses.
The event featured performances by Backyard Band and The Art of Noise. It was hosted by Desi Banks and sponsored by Virginia Credit Union Live! The event was geared for all ages and there were activities for children ages 4 and up.
Wallace will race in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
