Bubba Wallace was three years old when NBA legend Michael Jordan teamed up with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in the hit Hollywood movie, Space Jam.
Three decades later, Jordan co-owns the NASCAR Cup Series team that Wallace drives for, 23XI Racing. To commemorate the movie’s anniversary, one of Wallace’s sponsors — trading card and sports collectibles company Upper Deck — is throwing a Space Jam paintscheme on his No. 23 Toyota for the eero 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway on July 5. The car will be washed in an interstellar purple with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on the hood and an Upper Deck logo on the side.
“This collaboration brings together the cultural impact of Space Jam, the energy of NASCAR, and the passion of collectors in a truly unique way,” said Jason Masherah, President of Upper Deck. “This is a massive celebration of fandom – Space Jam is an iconic movie that spans multiple generations, and we’re excited to capture what fans love most about the film and share it across Upper Deck brands.”
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Wallace — the only Black driver racing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series — will also wear a Space Jam inspired helmet and firesuit. Lionel will also produce a limited edition diecast of the car.
“We look forward to bringing the fun and nostalgia of Space Jam to the track at Chicagoland through this unique collaboration,” said Steve Lauletta, President of 23XI. “Our partnership with Upper Deck continues to result in one-of-a-kind memorabilia that expands well beyond just the racetrack, allowing 23XI to reach both current and new audiences.”
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This isn’t the first time a piece of pop culture influenced by Jordan has appeared on one of his race cars. In the 2024 street course race in Chicago, Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota’s paint scheme borrowed from the iconic 1985 Nike poster for the original Air Jordan sneakers.
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This also is of course not the first time a Looney Tunes character has appeared on a NASCAR machine. In the 2000 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt ditched his traditional black Goodwrench scheme for a red one featuring Taz on the hood. In a 2002 Busch Series race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced with Gossamer — the big orange monster — on his hood and took the car to victory lane at Richmond.
Paying homage to Jordan is fitting for a race in Chicago, where he won six NBA titles with the Bulls.
NASCAR’s top-level Cup Series hasn’t raced at Chicagoland since 2019, where Wallace finished 25th in the No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports. Wallace has fared well there in lower series, finishing third in a 2015 O’Reilly Auto Parts race and sixth in a 2014 Truck Series race.
Wallace has notched a pair of top-five finishes in the past three weeks, finishing third at Michigan and second at Naval Base Coronado. The Alabama native is currently 11th in the point standings heading into this weekend’s race at Sonoma, searching for his first win since last season’s Brickyard 400.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team to have a ‘Space Jam’ themed car driven by Bubba Wallace
