The Nashville race witnessed some strong runs that ultimately turned to ashes. 23XI Racing struggled badly and Bubba was trying his best on track, as things might turn ugly for him if he didn’t. Joey Logano, however, stole their sparkle and turned their pursuits to dust, as the No. 22 sputtered through the finish line on an almost-empty gas tank. 

Wallace, the No. 23 driver for 23XI, has a genuine reason to worry. He lies at risk of missing his 2023 playoff fortunes and his Nashville run did little to overturn that bleak scenario. Hence Wallace’s teammate is concerned while contemplating his own last-lap misery.

Bubba Wallace drawing worry from compatriot

The playoff picture is getting constricted with every passing weekend. Bubba Wallace clawed his way through the field at Nashville Superspeedway during the interminable overtime restarts. He managed to finish in 7th place, a remarkable pace set for the No. 23 team. But Wallace’s spirits still drooped – as he is the first driver outside the playoff grid.

His teammate Tyler Reddick felt the Nashville sting after almost toppling Logano from the lead. He took it upon himself to win as a 23XI teammate to Bubba Wallace. Talking to Denny Hamlin on ‘Actions Detrimental’, he said, “You just mentioned Bubba and that was another major factor in my dejection after the race…I knew the position they were in, they’re battling the 22. I needed to win for myself. You know, as a teammate, it was really on me to get up there and not let the 22 go to Victory Lane. Yeah, that was just tough.”

However, even though Reddick was reasonably frustrated with his third-place result, he is secure. Ranking 4th in points, the No. 45 driver is well within the playoff picture, which contrasts his teammate’s situation. Hence Reddick felt for Bubba Wallace’s bleak fate: “I know that team is better than where they’re running. And I know they’re gonna figure it out and find it. Just certainly, with the 22 stealing one in the way that they did. It just makes that path more difficult.”

With seven races left on the regular schedule, Bubba Wallace has limited options. First, a win can totally invalidate the discussion of the point and accommodate him in the playoffs. Second, he needs to have a very strong stretch in the following races. 

However, Bubba Wallace improved his Nashville run, and team owner Denny Hamlin appreciated his progress.

Wallace earns brownie points

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In last year’s Nashville race, the 23XI team had faltered. Bubba Wallace faded early after starting 10th but circled back to the front after stage 2. He captured a few stage points then. But soon a slow pit stop axed Wallace’s track position for the rest of the race, and he finished 15th. Tyler Reddick had lost a wheel and spun out earlier during a green flag pit cycle. 

However, this year, the 23XI duo significantly upped their game. Bubba Wallace fought to the very end and secured 7th place. Reddick was ahead in the fuel mileage game and threatened Joey Logano. So team owner Denny Hamlin acknowledged the advanced run at Nashville. “We were certainly happy with what we saw. I’ve been challenging 23XI on speed, like we gotta get faster, we gotta get faster. So I think that I saw some good things from the overall team this weekend that hopefully we can carry on.”

However, the lump in Bubba Wallace’s throat will not clear out until he finds a way into the playoffs. Considering his 2023 fortune, maybe the#23 driver will find a stroke of luck soon.