The Bristol Night is certainly one for the books in Denny Hamlin‘s racing chronicle for a couple of standout reasons. First off, it marked his illustrious 51st Cup Series victory and his third triumph on the track. Second, in a twist of events, his own driver, Bubba Wallace, who was initially lagging behind by 17 points and seemingly on thin ice, punched his ticket to the prestigious top 12.

Against all odds and by playing their cards close to their chest, the 23XI team capitalized on the missteps of their rivals to secure their spot. In a post-race conversation, Bubba Wallace’s crew chief echoed the sentiment.

Riding on the back of others’ mistakes, Bubba Wallace catapults into top 12

In the wake of a grueling P14 finish at Bristol, where his boss snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, Wallace, against all odds, clinched a spot in the coveted top 12. Forecasts, including those from the likes of Jeff Gluck, had painted a grim picture for Wallace, suggesting he’d bow out in the inaugural playoff round. Yet, in a dramatic turn of events, he defied the critics and, with savvy strategy in tow, secured his berth. To add salt to the wound for Tony Stewart‘s driver Kevin Harvick and Roger Penske?s Joey Logano, both had to hang up their playoff boots, paving the way for Wallace.

Bubba’s crew chief, Booty Barker, fresh off a one-race suspension from Kansas due to pre-race inspection snafus, acknowledged their strategic approach: “A little strategy, then just we are grinding, doing what we had to do. We knew we had to have some other people make some mistakes, and they did. So, it fell to us, but I mean, we earned it. But we didn?t make any mistakes.”

Indeed, one man’s loss is another man’s gain. No one knows this better than Wallace, who previously also hitched a playoff ride on the back of Chris Buescher?s Daytona triumph.

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Yet, for Michael Jordan?s prot?g?, clinching a playoff spot for the first time wasn’t just about numbers; it was a moment of pure elation, which Wallace eagerly shared with the world.

Wallace wore his heart on his sleeve

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While there’s no doubting Bubba Wallace’s prowess on the track, the manner in which he clinched a playoff spot this year certainly raises eyebrows. Against all odds and many naysayers, Wallace and his crew sailed through.

In a heart-to-heart post-race interview, Bubba pulled back the curtain on his emotions surrounding this milestone achievement.

He shared, “Just emotional. I said to myself out loud, not on the radio, ‘Proud of you kid’, and we all know that I rarely do that.”

The next pit stop on this playoff journey is Texas Motor Speedway. Historically, it hasn?t been Bubba’s strongest playground, boasting only two top-10 finishes in ten races.

But if he’s got his sights set on advancing further, now’s the moment to buckle down, sharpen his strategy, and probably not just hope for others to drop the ball.

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