Against all odds. That’s how Bubba Wallace secured a triumph at Duel 1 on Daytona International Speedway. Despite being far from the favorite, the 23XI Racing driver fought hard at the ‘World Center of Racing’ to continue his team’s winning streak at the event. Last year, his teammate Tyler Reddick secured a win at the first Duel race, and the No. 23 Toyota driver managed to tick it off his bucket list this time around.

The win will undoubtedly be a moral boost for Wallace going into the Daytona 500. Could the result go on to inspire the 31-year-old to secure a shock Cup Series victory for the first time since 2022?

Bubba Wallace gives credit where it’s due

Toyota is on a roll. The Japanese manufacturer secured yet another qualifying win at Daytona International Speedway with an inspiring performance from Bubba Wallace. The Alabama native led the most number of laps (20) throughout the 60-lap duel and managed to outrun defending Daytona 500 winner William Byron. However, the achievement would not have been possible without his teammate Tyler Reddick, as the No. 45 Toyota gave him nudges throughout to help him win the first Duel race.

Sharing his thoughts in the post-race interview, Bubba Wallace said, “Thanks to Tyler, it was awesome to see two teams work together so well and learn a lot for Sunday. Did a great job pushing me. My McDonald’s Toyota Camry was really fast, two different balances from being at the back to being out front. Got some work to do there but all in all, I’ve been wanting these duel wins for so long. All my buddies have got them. Tyler got one last year, I was p—– off. I got one now, I’m good.”

Wallace has experienced his fair share of bad luck at Daytona International Speedway. The racer has finished runner-up twice in the season opener and has zero wins in 15 appearances on the track. He also made a promising start to his Cup Series campaign last year, finishing fifth at ‘The Great American Race’ after showing lightning-fast pace at the 2.5-mile oval. This time around, the 23XI Racing driver has qualified in third place for the crown-jewel event and will hope to go all the way to break his longstanding winless streak at the highest level.

That will be easier said than done, though. Both Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric finished first and second in qualifying ahead of the season-opener. However, Bubba Wallace cannot be underestimated, and the racer drove with great calmness and composure at the 2.5-mile tri-oval to get the result at the opening Duel. After being in Reddick’s shadow last year, the 31-year-old will be hungry to prove himself against the sports’ heavyweights, and what better occasion to secure a race win than the Daytona 500?

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Wallace celebrates much-needed triumph at Daytona

Bubba Wallace was ecstatic at Daytona International Speedway. Why would he not be? The racer outclassed the likes of William Byron, Ty Dillon, and Ross Chastain to secure the trophy. The Alabama native made a promise to himself that he will “enjoy the little stuff” in the upcoming Cup Series campaign, and celebrated his latest triumph with his newborn son Becks Hayden Wallace. It may not have been a Daytona 500 triumph just yet, but the result was a special one for the racing driver.

“I’m tired of talking about it,” Wallace joked when reminded of his runner-up finishes. The racer has ended up in the top-15 twelve times at the ‘World Center of Racing’ and he went on to say, “I felt like every time I’ve strapped into a race car at Daytona 500, I’ve been able to win and just things haven’t worked out like that. I don’t think there’s one time that I haven’t felt that. You have to show up and have that drive and passion that you’re going to win. But you also have to put yourself in the right spot.”

That’s exactly what Bubba Wallace will hope for this weekend. The driver will want to put his Cup Series struggles behind him at the Daytona 500 and begin the 2025 campaign with a victory. Having failed to make the playoffs last year, victory at the crown jewel event will automatically qualify him for the postseason. Now that he’s within touching distance of breaking his winless streak, the racer will not want to leave any stone unturned in preparing for ‘The Great American Race’. Do you think Bubba Wallace can win the Daytona 500?