Bubba Wallace Clinches First-Ever Berth In The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Playoffs
NASCAR Cup Series star Bubba Wallace achieved an important milestone on Saturday, August 26, clinching his first-ever championship playoffs berth, with a 12th place finish in the Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL.
An emotionally spent Wallace described the week leading up to Saturday’s race as “probably the hardest week I’ve had in a long time,” with the stress of staying hyper-focused on protecting his playoff position.
“So many people told me today, control what you can control,” he added. “If you do everything you can do, you can only be mad but for so long. We didn’t have any dumb errors, we didn’t take ourselves out of it, we didn’t speed on pit row; we just executed like we’re supposed to.”
Wallace, who races for NBA all-time great Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, had the final playoff spot going into the race, which was won by RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher. By coming in 12th—avoiding a heart-stopping crash involving 12 cars including two drivers who could have knocked him out of the playoffs—Wallace was able to enjoy an emotional post-race celebration, including a congratulatory hug from Jordan. In addition to Wallace’s success, Jordan witnessed the other driver on his Toyota team, Tyler Reddick, also make NASCAR’s postseason.
Wallace joins a field of 16 drivers in pursuit of a Cup Series championship in NASCAR’s 75th Anniversary season. The playoffs consist of a 10-week, four-round run to a final-four, winner-take-all finale at NASCAR’s Phoenix Raceway on November 5.
Wallace, who described his post-season clinching performance as a fight for survival, is looking forward taking his talents to the next level: “Now, we just have to go out and execute, and put it all together.”
RELATED CONTENT: Starr Andrews Becomes First Black Woman to Win Medal at US Figure Skating Championships Since 1988