Bubba Wallace Refuses to “Give Up”, Flaunts 23XI’s Bold Mentality Behind Unshakeable Playoff Hopes

Bubba Wallace certainly knows how to grind out results when it matters the most. Remember when he was in desperate need of points and had to dig deep in the penultimate race at Daytona International Speedway last year? This particular race ensured his qualification into the playoffs. Now, it looks like he might have to go through this arduous process once again in 2024.

With four regular-season races until the start of the playoffs, Michael Jordan’s No. 23 is seven points off the cut line and looking to clear this final hurdle to ensure his place in the knockout stages of the NASCAR Cup Series. It’s a tricky prospect for Bubba Wallace and his team, in terms of their strategy, whether to rely on points and consistent finishes or go for a victory. Given the run, he has had so far in 2024, a points-based run looks like a safe bet for the team. But he isn’t banking solely on points to secure his playoff berth.

Winning is the only thing that matters to Bubba Wallace and his team

Speed isn’t a concern for the No. 23 Toyota Camry XSE. The 23XI Racing has fielded competitive Toyotas that have rubbed shoulders against the mighty JGR drivers. It looks like they are certainly making the most of the technical alliance. Take the No. 45 car, for example. Tyler Reddick has been impressive so far this season and has already sealed his playoff spot with a win at Talladega.

So the pressure is now once again on Bubba Wallace to deliver the goods in a high-pressure situation. Although taking a look at his run in 22 races, it is difficult to bet on him to win a race. But the driver certainly isn’t counting himself out of winning contention at this crucial juncture of his season.

“From day 1, we are always showing up to win, and that’s our mentality each and every race … You never stop fighting, and that’s what our team is about. That’s what I embody myself. No matter how tough the going gets you just keep swinging, keep swinging till the checkered flag is there. So we got four opportunities we know we can win at, and that’s our mentality.” Wallace said this ahead of the qualifying for the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway.

Speaking of the qualifying for the Cup race ahead, the No. 23 had a good run, as he’ll start at No. 8 alongside Chris Buescher on Row 4, behind Austin Dillon, and C. Bell. As far as Bubba Wallace’s track record and previous performances go, he does have a good chance of making the playoffs. But will it be based on points or wins? That remains to be seen.

A potential third career Cup Series win for Wallace at Daytona?

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Although the Alabama native isn’t the smoothest operator on the road courses, he does have a knack for collecting solid results in superspeedway races. The only streak of good results for him in 2025 came at the Daytona and Atlanta races, where he secured back-to-back top-5 finishes. He was hoping for a big result at Talladega, where he got his maiden win, but the race ended in a wreckfest and a DNF finish.

But he sure knows how to find the right balance and push the limit on drafting tracks. So the stage is set for Wallace to back up his words and deliver convincing results. A victory would indeed mark his comeback run, and it couldn’t come at a better time. However, it has to be noted that this year’s fall race at Daytona International Speedway won’t serve as the regular season finale; the Southern 500 will do the honors this time around.

After a two-week hiatus, the 23XI Racing star has made a strong return for the Richmond race. And it’ll be interesting to see who can mark their spot first in the playoffs.