Over the years, NASCAR has had several movies made about the sport, and Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby has been a cult favorite since its release. But NASCAR driver William "Bubba" Wallace feels differently about it. 

Wallace, alongside Ryan Blaney, made an appearance on the podcast, Bussin with The Boys. The 23XI driver was asked what he thought of the 'Shake and Bake' move popularized by the movie, meant for leaving the competition behind. 

During this, he revealed his dislike for the movie. 

“That’s the worst f****** movie ever,” said Wallace.

When asked about why he hates the movie so much, he replied, “Well, it's just a mockery of the sport. No one f****** shakes and bakes dawg.” 

He further added that there's no movie that mocks football. He said, “It's just a mockery, and I'm just trying to think of a mockery of football, and there's just not one.”

When asked what Blaney thought about the movie, the Team Penske driver did not share similar sentiments towards the movie. He said, “ I don’t really mind it, to be honest with you. I thought it was a really funny movie.” 

Talledega Nights, featuring Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby, was released in 2006 and directed by Adam McKay. In the movie, Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr. used a surprise move, nicknamed the 'Shake and Bake,' to bypass fellow racers on the track.

Despite being a major cult favorite, the movie won three awards, namely the Teen Choice Award, the MTV Movie Award, and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award.

However, Bubba Wallace is not the first NASCAR driver to express his contempt for the movie. 

Kyle Larson Expresses Distaste For NASCAR Cult Favorite

Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson is a huge movie buff, but he has mixed feelings when it comes to Talladega Nights. 

During a 2025 interview with  Julian Edelman’s podcast Games With Names, Larson revealed how the movie has tarnished the way the sport is perceived. 

“I mean, I like the movie. I think it did not do anything good for our sport. I think it turned our sport into a joke, unfortunately. But that is one of the most popular racing movies … I feel like the rest of the world — that’s what they think about our sport now.” 

Over the years, the Will Ferrell movie has divided fans over its representation of the sport. Regardless, the movie has had a huge influence on pop culture and grossed about $163 million worldwide.

Do you think Talladega Nights depicts the world of NASCAR racing accurately? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit