Bubba Wallace On-Course to Become the First Black NASCAR Driver to Win the Daytona 500

Heading into the 2024 season, it’s no secret that Bubba Wallace has a lot to prove. Not only has the 23XI talent revealed how good friend Ryan Blaney’s championship had caused him intense inner turmoil over the winter break, but he has also quickly become a fan favourite from the new Full Speed docu-series. After all, Wallace’s background is unlike most NASCAR drivers.

As an African American driver in a predominantly Caucasian sport, Bubba Wallace has had to climb many ladders that seemed inaccessible. Through sheer perseverance, Wallace has cemented himself as one of only two Black drivers to win a Cup Series race. But as a new year dawns on the 23XI sensation, Wallace could very well become the first African American to win the Great American Race.

‘Don’t finish second again’ – Bubba Wallace aims to break his Daytona 500 curse

Throughout Bubba Wallace’s Cup Series career, his transformation from a rookie at the Daytona International Speedway to a common name in the top five has been nothing but aspirational. Wallace reached within arm’s length of sweet victory both in 2021 and 2022 but finished runner-up on both occasions. As for the 2023 campaign, Wallace was nowhere in the top 5 owing to a DNF.

The goal now is to ensure another second-place finish isn’t the outcome for the 2024 Daytona 500. In a recent interview with TODAY, Wallace opened up about the elusive Great American Race. When asked about his goals for the 2024 race, Wallace stated, “Don’t finish second again. It sucks, it’s not good. I think as long as you put yourself in the position to just be a part of it and get our season kicked off here at Daytona. So the plan is to not finish second, the plan is to win and have a great time.”

And while it’s clear to see how enthusiastic Bubba Wallace is to bring in a victory at the Daytona 500, it’s also worth taking a look at the betting odds to paint a better picture. On one hand, Wallace would have easily been one of the favourites this year had his 2023 result not overshadowed the previous runner-up finishes. But still, betting on Wallace is currently sitting with odds of +1800 to +2000 on different platforms, which means fans could take home a solid payout if Wallace wins.

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So with the betting odds being fairly reasonable and giving Bubba Wallace a decent probability of a win, will Wallace deliver on his redemption promise and become the only African American driver to win the Daytona 500? And that’s not all. If Wallace manages to win the Daytona 500 this season, he could very well settle the score with his close aide Ryan Blaney, who also caused him much distress.

How Bubba Wallace can get back at Ryan Blaney in 2024

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With only two weeks to go for the Great American Race, there is no one quite as thirsty as Bubba Wallace for the elusive Daytona 500 win. But if there’s any man that comes close, it’s Ryan Blaney. From being touted as one of the best super-speedway racers on the current grid to becoming the Cup Series champion, Blaney has already one-upped Wallace when it comes to the title.

In the same interview with TODAY, Wallace also opened up about the struggles he had to go through seeing his best friend win the championship while Wallace only managed to finish tenth. He stated, “So I guess when your best friends win the championships [and] you don’t, it sends you down a dark path.”

And while Wallace has found his way out of the dark path with some self-reflection and help from his wife, Blaney will always have the bragging rights to being the first one to a title. But when we talk about the Daytona 500, that could be a different story altogether. And if Wallace indeed delivers on the buildup he had two seasons prior to the 2023 upset, the Great American Race could have its first African American winner soon.

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So with both Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace aiming to build on their runner-up finishes, which way will the 2024 Daytona 500 result swing? If there’s anything to be said, it would be quite fitting for Wallace to get back at Blaney by winning the Daytona 500 before him.