The stage is all set, and the drivers are geared up for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. But the final lap incident at Richmond Raceway is still on everyone’s minds. The latest to share his thoughts on the whole incident is Bubba Wallace. The wrecking incident at Cook Out 400 and the allegations saga afterward included Denny Hamlin at the center stage. The Joe Gibbs Racing ace racer was on the receiving end of the unfortunate incident. After the race, he was understandably upset about the fiasco.

While several racers shared their opinions over the past week, Wallace had an interesting take on the entire matter. However, it seems that the 30-year-old racer has built up on his initial thought. He has now come up with an interesting analysis on the wrecking incident, a few hours before the upcoming race. The core of his opinions revolves around the owner of his team, Denny Hamlin.

Surreal circumstances: Wallace provides the expert analysis

Initially, Wallace was all fiery about the wreck like many of the other racers. The 23XI racer, however, paid little heed to the incident since he was himself involved in a bit of a tussle with Kyle Larson. Wallace was comfortably poised in the top five at the Richmond Raceway up until the end. However, the incident caused him to lose several positions down the line. Ultimately, he even failed to finish amongst the first ten racers. But the drama at Richmond Raceway was far from over. After the race, Wallace was furious about the way Austin Dillon secured his win, calling it a “chicken sh*t tactic.”

Wallace has advocated on several occasions that the cup series format calls for desperate measures from the drivers. This, in turn, according to Wallace, leads to uncalled aggression in races. But a week after the incident, his analysis of the whole situation is much more detailed. While answering a question concerning Denny Hamlin’s clash with Austin Dillon and the extent to which it was intentional, Wallace said, “I would assume he went in there and hit him and you know obviously checked up to figure out where he was going and then his spotter is just screaming at him to hook him and wreck him.”

Wallace went further to determine the mindset of the winner of Cook Out 400 before an intentional clash with Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin. Wallace further added, “It’s like you almost forgot about the 11. You were out there on an island, you’re like ‘okay got him out of the way! oh sh*t I messed up’. And take out the 22 or the 11. So, I think it’s a little bit of knowing where your surroundings are forgetting about the car behind and then reacting to that.”

As for Dillon, the Richard Childress Racing ace driver paid dearly for forgetting the surroundings. The 34-year-old was scraped off from his playoff berth and was fined 25 cup series and owner points after the race. This decision from NASCAR is appealed by RCR, but a final verdict on the matter is not necessarily imminent. However, with Austin Dillon out of the playoffs, the gateway to qualify and win the ultimate prize of the sport opens up for many other drivers, including Bubba Wallace. Many NASCAR analysts believe that the coming race at Michigan International Speedway is the best chance for Wallace to qualify for the playoffs.

Analyzing Bubba Wallace’s chances to qualify for the playoffs

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Given his recent performances and track record, the odds do favor Wallace. The 30-year-old is 17th in the cup series standings, just shy of the playoff spot with 545 points. As the 23XI Racing ace driver gets ready for a crucial race at Michigan International Speedway, one thing unthinkable for him is slip-ups. Bubba Wallace is in a playoff spot contention with the likes of Ty Gibbs, Austin Cindric, and Kyle Busch among others. The other way for Wallace to cruise through to the playoffs and give him a boost of self-confidence is a win.

Although Wallace has performed impressively of late, fans are yet to see him sail first at the checkered. The best performance for Wallace this year was a 4th-spot finish at the Martinsville Speedway. Bubba Wallace will start the race at Michigan International Speedway from the 5th grid beside Chase Elliot. Wallace has a decent track record on the 2-mile-long D-shaped racetrack. He finished runner-up at the 2022 edition of the race after securing his first pole position in the cup series. Wallace led the race for a total of 22 laps. He missed a top 10 spot in 2023, finishing the race in 11th position.

Do you think Bubba Wallace will be able to deliver a decent performance at Michigan International Speedway? What are your thoughts on his analysis of the Austin Dillon wrecking incident at Richmond Raceway? Do let us know in the comments.