Going fast is clearly a passion for NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. But 500 mph in a fighter jet? That’s a little faster than what he’s used to.
“We’ve got to find some speed in our car to match this speed,” Wallace said after visiting Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina to test out the adrenaline rush from an F-15E Strike Eagle. The visit was a second take, of sorts, for him. He was supposed to fly on the jet last year but was ill, so he had to watch from the sidelines.
This year, he was ready for the challenge.
“I’m whooped. I’m three for three and haven’t thrown up or passed out,” Wallace said, referencing this flight and two F-16 flights he’s had in the past, “but this flight has kicked my butt.”
Wallace’s visit is part of the Defense Department-supported NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 Salute to Troops that happens annually over the Memorial Day weekend. Wallace is one of five drivers who will be racing in honor of fallen service members.
At the air base, No. 43 got the necessary physical required to fly before heading over to the 333rd Fighter Squadron, where he met Air Force Capt. John “Wraith” Tilton and was fitted for a flight helmet, mask and flight suit. Then he got what’s called a step brief by the aircrew, who filled him in on basic facts about the jet and what to expect. They showed him a map of the airspace and answered any questions he had.
Leave a Reply