Bubba Wallace hasn’t won a race since the Brickyard 400 last season. While he looked like the 23XI lead driver, Tyler Reddick has had a remarkable season, picking up 5 victories and sitting second in the championship.

Wallace’s season has been a topsy-turvy one, and despite a second-place finish in San Diego, he has two finishes out of the top 20 in the last 3 races. 

With all the ups and downs this season, in the post-qualifying press interactions, Wallace was asked how he manages the emotions and the mental side of the kind of season he’s been having. 

In the press interaction posted on YouTube by Cup Scene, Wallace gave a real reply: “You marry your best friend and have a good sounding board. It’s tough. I haven’t been at the happiest of days lately. But at the same time, I have a great support system at home. I got two beautiful kids, and that helps.”

Wallace married his best friend, Amanda, in a heartwarming New Year's Eve ceremony in 2022. With Amanda by his side throughout his amateur and pro days, Wallace believes that a good support system is crucial for dealing with bad days on track. 

He added, “I sit there, and I ask her, why is it every year that we’re in this scenario? And as much as you don’t want to hear it, she gives her thoughts and her advice on how to handle it, and then we go to the racetrack again the next week. So, yeah, surround yourself with good people, and it helps out.”

Amanda is often spotted trackside; it’s clear that Wallace gets a lot of support from her, with Amanda acting as Bubba Wallace’s number one cheerleader, even posting about Wallace’s win. 

Wallace also spoke on the kind of season he’s having, and it’s clear that he isn’t really in the best headspace, having seen several results not go his way. 

Wallace breaks down his rollercoaster season

By just looking at his last five results, it is evident what kind of season Wallace is having. A DNF in Nashville, 3rd at Michigan, 21st in Pocono, 2nd in San Diego, and 22nd in Sonoma. 

Asked about his season that has been filled with both highs and lows, Wallace responded at the press interaction, “I think we’ve been much better this year, and so the highs are a little bit higher than before. And the lows have been different.” 

Wallace spoke about how the 23XI was getting better, so the standards of highs they set for themselves went up considerably. With the realigned standards, Wallace said that at the start of the season it was about setting the bar much higher for themselves, and they aren’t currently at the bar they had set.

Wallace said, “I look at Nashville, Pocono, there’s gonna be a couple where we were top 15 at best, and other races, we’ve had winning potential, and we haven’t been able to see them play through.”

He added, “I think it stings a little bit more this year just knowing how much potential is left out there and then to see how our teammates are winning. It’s like  I think if we can have everything go right, we can be in victory lane too”

As Wallace feels the sting, he is currently 13th in the standings with just 43 points between himself and Austin Cindric in 16th, the cutoff spot for the Chase. 

Wallace will need to keep fighting for big points and even hunt down a win as he looks to keep himself in contention when the Chase comes around in 8 races' time. 

Do you think Bubba Wallace will make the Chase? Let us know.

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Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason