Bubba Wallace's parents and sibling — the family that's backed him all along
Desiree Lawrence and Darrell Wallace Sr., Bubba Wallace's parents, have played critical roles that have led their son to NASCAR glory. From childhood, their influence continues to shine through his career highs and lows.
Source: Facebook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Bubba Wallace's parents are Desiree Lawrence (formerly Wallace) and Darrell Wallace, Sr.
- Bubba's introduction to racing began at a go-karting race through his father, Darrell Wallace, Sr.
- The name 'Bubba' was given to him by his only sibling, Brittany Gillespie Wallace, as a nickname.
- Desiree Lawrence and Darrell Wallace, Sr., divorced in 2016.
- Bubba's parents' divorce became the source of his strained relationship with his father.
Profile summary
Title | Bubba Wallace's mother | Bubba Wallace's father |
Full name | Desiree Gillespie Lawrence (Wallace) | Darrell Wallace Sr. |
Gender | Female | Male |
Nationality | American | American |
Ethnicity | Black | White |
Religion | Christian | Christian |
Hair colour | Black | Grey |
Eye colour | Brown | Brown |
Marital status | Married | Married |
Spouse | George E. Lawrence | Julie Wallace |
High school | Central High School | - |
Higher education | University of Tennessee, Knoxville | - |
Profession | Social worker | Businessman |
Meet Bubba Wallace's parents—Desiree and Darrell Wallace Sr.
Bubba Wallace was born on 8 October 1993 to Desiree Lawrence (formerly Wallace) and Darrell Wallace, Sr., in Mobile, Alabama, United States. Over the years, being born to a biracial couple has elicited mixed reactions among racing fans.
Despite these challenges, his parents, who are familiar faces at his NASCAR races, have vocally and physically supported their trailblazing son, who has been referred to as the Tiger Woods of NASCAR.
Being the first and only full-time African-American NASCAR driver since 1971 paints a clear picture of the influence his parents have had on him. Here is everything you need to know about Bubba Wallace's parents.
Darrell Wallace Sr.
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Darrell Wallace Sr.
- Date of birth: 10 March 1969
- Age: 56 years (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Alabama, United States
- Profession: Entrepreneur
Darrell Wallace Sr. was born on 10 March 1969 in Alabama, USA. He is 56 years old as of 2025, and his zodiac sign is Pisces.
As per his LinkedIn profile, Wallace is an entrepreneur with interests in industrial cleaning. He is the owner and the president at Wallace Industrial Inc., an industrial cleaning waste management company in Concord, North Carolina, United States. Before starting Wallace Industrial Inc. in January 1999, he worked at PSC and Thompson Industrial Services LLC.
In an interview with the Lexington Herald Leader, the younger Wallace recalled getting his start in racing at age nine, after a simple question from his father.
We were sitting there watching (a go-kart race), and I still remember this: my Dad turned to me and said, 'Is this something you think you would like to try?'
Source: Twitter
While his mother actively toured around the United States with Bubba's sister for basketball, his racing development was left to his father. The pair have not shared a smooth relationship in recent years during Desiree and Darrell Wallace Sr.'s separation.
During an interview on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media podcast in October 2019, Wallace revealed that his relationship with his dad took a violent turn after an altercation between him and his mom in 2016.
The light switch went off. I got in my truck and went over and fought my dad, like swinging fists, just did before I thought. A physical altercation. For 15 years of racing, it was me and him. And then that day, that was it.
He added,
This year (2019), finally, my dad and I are making some progress. My dad is super hard-headed to talk to and just to make him understand things. I still love him to death, no matter what, right, wrong, or indifferent; he’s still my dad.
Desiree Wallace
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Desiree Gillespie Lawrence (Wallace)
- Date of birth: 5 August 1964
- Age: 61 years (as of 2025)
- Place of birth: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- Profession: Social worker
Desiree Gillespie Lawrence (Wallace) was born on 5 August 1964 and is 61 years old (as of 2025). Her zodiac sign is Leo.
Gillespie is an American social worker who attended Central High School in her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. She later enrolled and studied at the University of Tennessee.
Unlike her former husband, Desiree admitted that she was initially wary of her son's interest in racing. Speaking to Blavity, she recalled,
It's not that I didn't like the sport... Dale Earnhardt Sr. was our favourite driver before he passed, and my brother-in-law was a driver in Nashville, Tennessee, so I went to a couple of races, and I knew a little bit about it. But I wasn't sure if that was what I wanted for Bubba.
Source: Twitter
She is currently married to George E. Lawrence, a pastor at New Breed Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The couple got married on 13 July 2021 and recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary.
How many siblings does Bubba Wallace have?
Bubba Wallace's family has transformed into a blended unit of half-siblings, with both his parents remarrying. However, no information has been revealed about his half-siblings.
Bubba Wallace's parents, Desiree Lawrence and Darrell Wallace Sr., had one daughter, Brittany Wallace, before the arrival of their son in 1993.
Source: Instagram
Bubba Wallace's sister, Brittany Wallace, was born on 5 May 1988 and is 37 years old (as of 2025). Her zodiac sign is Taurus.
She attended J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, North Carolina, USA. Upon graduation, she joined South Carolina State University.
While at the university, she played college basketball for the Lady Bulldogs. As per her collegiate profile, she majored in criminal justice and intended to work as a counsellor or caseworker in juvenile delinquency centres and group homes. She also played in the AAU circuit (Amateur Athletic Union).
At age five, she gave her brother the nickname, Bubba. The name came in handy since he shares a similar name with his father, Darrell Wallace Sr.
FAQs
- What is Bubba Wallace's parents' nationality? Both Desiree and Darrell Wallace Sr. are American nationals.
- Is Bubba Wallace's dad still alive? At the time of this writing, Darrell Wallace Sr. is alive.
- What happened with Bubba Wallace and his dad? In 2016, Bubba and his father, Darrell Wallace Sr., had a physical altercation that shattered their relationship.
- What does Bubba Wallace's father do for a living? He owns and runs Wallace Industrial Inc.
- What ethnicity is Bubba Wallace? He is an African American.
- Is Bubba Wallace related to Rusty Wallace? Both are successful NASCAR drivers with the same last name, but are not related.
- Is Bubba Wallace married? Bubba and his long-time partner, Amanda Carter, have been married since New Year's Eve in 2022.
- Does Bubba Wallace have children? Bubba welcomed his first son, Becks Hayden Wallace, on 29 September 2024 and is expecting a second child in March 2026.
Bubba Wallace's parents, Desiree Lawrence (formerly Wallace) and Darrell Wallace, Sr., played a critical role in his growth into one of the most prominent figures in NASCAR racing. The couple, who divorced in 2016, have remained central in their children's lives. Bubba Wallace has one sibling, Brittany Gillespie Wallace.
Legit.ng has recently published Darrell Wallace Sr.'s biography. Darrell Wallace Sr. is an American businessman best known for being Bubba Wallace's father.
Bubba, whose full name is Darrell Wallace Jr., is known for his achievements and impact in the NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) world. Read on for more details about how Wallace contributed to making Bubba the first African-American driver to drive NASCAR full-time.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
