While some pay tribute to Dale Earnhardt, others prefer to go the Bill Elliott or Richard Petty route. However, for 16-year-old Isaac Kitzmiller, Bubba Wallace is the racer he looks up to the most. With the CARS Tour featuring a ‘Throwback Classic’ at Hickory Motor Speedway on August 2nd, the teenager is opting to run the Alabama-native’s throwback from a race that took place before he was even born. That’s some real commitment right there!

The CARS Tour recently released the first batch of throwback schemes on social media. While Parker Eatmon is showing tribute to Rusty Wallace’s Miller Genuine Draft No. 2, and Seth Christensen’s throwback is dedicated to Alan Kulwicki’s famous No. 7 Hooters Underbird, it’s Kitzmiller’s choice that is grabbing the headlines.

Kitzmiller grateful for Bubba Wallace’s mentorship

Bubba Wallace has been far from a popular figure in the NASCAR community. The 23XI Racing driver consistently faces plenty of backlash from fans on social media, despite his jovial and happy-go-lucky attitude. But now, it looks like the 31-year-old is finally getting a fitting tribute that has been long overdue, thanks to Isaac Kitzmiller and his Rackley/WAR Racing team, who will be running a throwback to Wallace’s No. 76 that he won with at Carraway Speedway in 2008.

Sharing his reasons why, Kitzmiller told FloRacing, “It’s just a thank you for what he’s done for me. Bubba has been racing Summer Shootout with us at Joe Ryan Race Cars. I’ve got to know Bubba really well. He’s been really nice to me. But this year with my ARCA stuff he’s helped me out a lot with tracks like Dover and other places. He just gives me his input and what he thought the first time he went to those types of places. He’s a good guy.”

Bubba Wallace won his very first Late Model race while driving the No. 76 car, four months before Kitzmiller was born. The youngster revealed that his ‘mentor’ loved the idea of a throwback of that specific car, with the racer saying, “He kind of reminisced about it. He was asking me if I was going to run the chrome wheels with it, but I joked that I can’t run the chrome wheels. I’m just not a chrome guy.” The 23XI Racing driver, along with Ron Hornaday Jr. and Kevin Harvick, has played a mentorship role for the youngster, as well as the entire stable of drivers at Joe Ryan Race Cars.

FloRacing will be hosting the ‘Best Appearing Throwback’ poll for this year’s CARS Tour Throwback Classic, with the winner receiving a $1,000 prize from TexaCon Cut Stone, a $500 prize from the broadcaster, as well as a full Next Gen Body Kit from Five Star Race Car Bodies. Meanwhile, the runner-up will get a free car wrap from The Decal Source, while the third-place driver will receive a full decal set. Isaac Kitzmiller will be aiming for the top prize, even though the competition is tougher than it has ever been.

Kitzmiller is aiming for his first Late Model triumph

The stakes are high at Hickory Motor Speedway. With $30,000 on the line, Isaac Kitzmiller has his work cut out for him as he continues searching for his first CARS Tour Pro Late Model victory. He recently finished fourth at Dover Motor Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series’ 150-lap race thanks to Bubba Wallace’s advice, and is also leading the points standings in the ARCA Menards Series East, finishing no lower than 7th in five races.

Sharing his thoughts about winning at Hickory while using Wallace’s throwback scheme, the 16-year-old said, “That would be super, super cool. It would really mean a lot. It would be even cooler for Bubba too to do that while running his throwback. But it would be really cool for me to show my team, my sponsors, all the hard work that everyone has put in. So winning that $30,000 would really be awesome.”

Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace is also looking for his first Cup Series win of the season. With just five races remaining before the playoffs begin, time is running out for the 23XI Racing driver to secure an automatic berth in the postseason. Currently ranked 13th, the racer could potentially point his way through as well, but only if he manages to get consistent results in the upcoming fixtures while hoping no new drivers enter Victory Lane.