For Bubba Wallace, there could be no excuses at Daytona. The 23XI Racing driver was the man occupying the final playoff spot in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. He had not won any races so far this year and was only through to the last 16 on points. This meant that had any driver won for the first time in 2023, or if he was massively outscored by those below him on the table, Wallace would be replaced. There could be no mistake from the 29-year-old if he wanted his Cup Series run to continue. To make sure that he had complete focus going into the race, Bubba Wallace did everything possible.

NASCAR journalists Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi spoke about Wallace’s preparations going into Daytona and turns out the 23XI Racing man took an interesting measure to keep his head in the game. According to Gluck, Bubba was a bunch of nerves the entire week before Daytona. To avoid adding to that immense pressure, the 29-year-old refused to partake in any media activities on the race weekend. While others were busy speaking to the media about their strategies, Wallace was by himself, cutting out all the noise and getting his 100% focus on the task at hand.

NASCAR Insider Reveals What Bubba Wallace Did to Get ”Focused”

After the race, Jeff Gluck described what Bubba Wallace’s mindset had been like for the past week. The 23XI Racing man might not be everyone’s favorite but there is no doubting the mental toughness of the 29-year-old.

“Bubba said he was waking up at 2:30 in the morning this week, just super super stressed. Obviously, he was turning down the interviews for TV. Even before the race he was really tight, not wanting to talk. We didn’t get, because you know he had done a, so the way it works is we get all the drivers in a media bullpen, you know, around practice and qualifying, they come in before or after,” he said.

However, performing your media duties is a big part of being a NASCAR driver these days and Bubba knew that. So he simply did the media before everyone else to be completely free of anything on the crucial weekend.

“If you do a Zoom with the media, you know during the week which is usually like one or two drivers, then you get excused from talking at the track so we had talked to Bubba on Zoom, the media had early in the week so he didn’t talk, I don’t think he probably did any media at the track before the race at all because he didn’t do TV, he didn’t come in here, so,” Gluck added.

NASCAR journalist Jordan Bianchi agreed to Gluck’s point as he said that it was like Bubba Wallace to turn down pre-race media duties just to get into that zone where he is mentally preparing himself for what’s to come on track.

“You said it before. He turned down radio and pre-race stuff before a few times and it’s like he just kind of gets in that zone of mentally just wants to focus which you know, to each his own,” Bianchi quipped.

As it happened, Wallace’s hard work paid off exactly in the way he had hoped for. Clean race, no major incidents and consistent driving are what summarized the 23XI Racing driver’s evening as he finished in 12th place and clinch his playoffs spot.

Read More – “I Didn’t Like My Car” – Bubba Wallace Raises Question for Michael Jordan and Co. as the Driver Complains After Securing Playoffs

Daytona Was “The Most Locked In” Wallace Has Ever Been

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He might not have done any media interviews before the race, but Bubba Wallace didn’t shy away from the one after the race. With relief on his face and in his voice, the 29-year-old acknowledged how difficult the past week had been for him but it had also led to him being more focused that ever.

“That was the most stressed but also the most locked in that I’ve ever been. Knowing that this place is mostly out of your control, I just tried to focus on doing the things that I could do,” he said after the race.

With the regular season over, it is time for the business end of the Cup Series to begin, the playoffs. 16 of the best drivers on the grid have made it through and given how the regular season has panned out, there is no question that the playoffs will be an absolute thriller.

WATCH THIS STORY: Michael Jordan’s star Bubba Wallace Makes a Somber Confession Highlighting His Inferiority to the 23XI Racing Teammate