The stage was set for Bubba Wallace to secure a victory when it mattered the most. The 23XI Racing driver finished on pole in qualifying ahead of the Cook Out Southern 500, and Michael Jordan sat in his pit box, hoping to bring some good luck for the 30-year-old. However, his playoff hopes were squashed after Bubba was involved in a wreck with 23 laps to go, forcing him to finish the race in 16th place, 27 points below the cutline. While the driver was visibly disappointed after missing the postseason, Denny Hamlin expressed his faith in the Alabama native’s talent and is optimistic that the driver will make it in the coming seasons.

The playoff conversation would have been completely different if Bubba Wallace had shown the level of consistency that he did in the final 8 races of the regular season. The 30-year-old was driving like a man possessed and went on to secure five top-ten results during that timeframe, proving just how determined he was to remain in the hunt for the championship. His performances showed that Wallace has what it takes to become a top driver at NASCAR’s highest level, but needs to match his talent with consistency weekly to be considered a genuine title contender.

Speaking to Frontstretch’s Chase Folsom, Denny Hamlin outlined his expectations from Bubba Wallace in the future. The 23XI Racing co-owner said, “Well, I mean, certainly if they run next year like they’ve run the last 10, 12 races, they’re going to be in the playoffs, no sweat. So I think my message to them is, you know, stay on the track that you’re at, and sometimes you got to walk before you run.”

“I think that certainly, you know, they’ve got some good things going. It’s up to them to race freely now. Go out there and try to finish 17th in points.” The result at Darlington Raceway will be a tough pill to swallow for Bubba Wallace, who showed plenty of promise. He finished second behind Kyle Larson at the end of Stage 1 but dropped down to 9th by the end of Stage 2. Things went from bad to worse towards the end of the Cook Out Southern 500 as Wallace was seen struggling in his No. 23 Toyota after being involved in a multi-car wreck.

With 10 races remaining before the season comes to a close, Bubba Wallace will hope to keep his momentum going and secure a 17th-place finish in the driver standings. The 30-year-old driver hasn’t won a race since he finished P1 at Kansas Speedway in 2022, and while a victory in the upcoming races would be bittersweet, it will give him the confidence to approach the 2025 season differently.

Bubba Wallace admits getting “caught up in someone else’s mess” after missing the playoffs

They say progress is never linear, but Bubba Wallace was always going to measure the success of his 2024 Cup Series season by making it into the playoffs. After all, the 23XI Racing driver accumulated enough points last year to compete for the Championship title. He may not have reached the final 8 back then, but the season was a step in the right direction for the Alabama native.

This time around, his development as a racing driver has been more complicated, given the topsy-turvy nature of his performances. It’s no secret that the 30-year-old has struggled with consistency, which has been the primary reason for his failure to reach the RO16.

Speaking after the race, Bubba Wallace highlighted the reasons that led to his 16th-place finish at Darlington Raceway. He told NBC, “We got behind on adjustments. We were back and forth on our US Air Force Toyota Camry. A little too loose, a little too tight. That caution with a couple laps on tires where we stayed out, I don’t know if that was the deciding factor. We just got so tight there and got back there in traffic, a spot we hadn’t been all day. I got caught up in someone else’s mess.”

The 23XI Racing driver went on to say, “Wasn’t good enough for 16th this year. Hate that, it stings saying that but wasn’t from lack of effort from all of us from this 23 car.”

Despite his NASCAR heartbreak, Bubba Wallace has plenty to look forward to in the coming months. His wife Amanda is due to give birth soon, and the couple are all set to welcome their baby boy.

On the professional side, the 23XI Racing driver has been on an impressive run of form recently and will look to keep up his momentum without the added pressure of playoffs in the remaining 10 races. Having the backing of Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan will certainly help increase his confidence and change the way he approaches the 2025 season.

What are your thoughts about Bubba Wallace missing the playoffs? Let us know in the comments!