After a splendid 2023 season, making it into the Cup Series playoff for the very first time in his career, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace got his dream squashed, becoming the first driver to get evicted in the 2nd eliminator. However, after a late tangle that spun him off the track, the Alabama native’s spectacular season came to an unexpected end. However, it’s not Charlotte where his dreams were snatched.

He missed his shot of winning at the Texas Motor Speedway, which could have propelled him into the round of 8. In Charlotte, despite a promising run in qualifying, his chances of overcoming the points deficit took a hit as he ended his dream run on a sad note on his birthday.

Bubba Wallace meets his match, ending his dream run after a late tangle in Charlotte

Entering Sunday’s race at the Roval in Charlotte, Wallace was 9 points short of making it to the next round. The 29-year-old who was never known for his road course had to perform a miracle in the 2.2-mile makeshift road circuit to stay relevant. However, a late tangle in Stage 3 sealed the deal as Wallace became the first to be knocked out of the 2nd eliminator here in Charlotte.

Coming into the infamous chicane that has bested several drivers, Trackhouse Racing‘s Daniel Suarez overshot his entry, bumping into Austin Crindic who collected the #23, sending Wallace for a spin right off the track. While the field sped off the chicane, Wallace had to stop and go, abiding by the rules for him to go clean.

The late spin essentially meant the end of the road for Wallace who was 9 points below the cutline entering the race. But after his last-minute tangle, the point deficit overwhelmed the driver as he was knocked out of the round of 12 the very same day he turned 30. Reacting to the spin, Wallace’s 3-worded radio response revealed the driver’s frustration as Matt Weaver relayed the driver’s painful comments on his social media.

Wallace’s crew chief Bootie Barker shrugged on the radio, saying, “Ain’t a lot you can do about that.” To this, a heartbroken Bubba replied, “It’s always something, Bootie.” The driver’s painful remarks come months after he made his inferiority public, envying his teammate.

Wallace goes out on his shield fighting, making his boss proud

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The race was certainly anti-climatic for fans. After a tough contest at the 2.2-mile tight road course. After Wallace became the first to get ousted, 2-time Cup Series champion, Kyle Busch along with his former rival Brad Keselowski gets eliminated after the 2nd playoff eliminator.

WATCH THIS STORY: Bubba Wallace unveils Kyle Busch’s tough love approach 

Despite showcasing a great performance, hanging in at the top, battling the race leader AJ Allmendinger, Busch’s #8 Chevy lost steam as William Byron took charge, passing the #8 to claim the 2nd position. While Byron tried his best to close the gap on the #16 Kaulig Racing Chevy, the Xfinity Series veteran kept his composure and rallied to pick his first win of the season. Despite ending his tournament on Sunday, Michael Jordan lauded his driver’s efforts to make it this far in the championship battle, overcoming his demons to get past the regular season for the very first time in his career.

Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, and Bubba Wallace are all knocked out of the tournament and they, along with their fans, will go through bouts of what-if’s before the next season starts.

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