Bubba Wallace has been with the 23XI Racing team since its debut in NASCAR in 2021. Then, Michael Jordon, co-owner of the team, had set the bar high for him, suggesting that Wallace could get plenty of wins for the team. Hamlin was more reserved in his expectations though.

And history will show Hamlin was indeed farsighted. This season, in the 18 races, Wallace has secured three top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes, but, he currently sits 13 points below the playoff cut-line. During a recent interview, Wallace mentioned how hard it has been for him so far.

Bubba Wallace says he tried to come in more prepared than ever this year

Bubba Wallace of last year, and this year, are in stark contrast. Last year, he made it to the playoffs for the first time, and this season, he is just struggling. Ahead of the race at Nashville, he is trailing behind Logano by 13 points for the 16 and final playoff spot, and with just eight races remaining, he doesn’t have long to cement a strong return. Talking to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, Wallace said, “a little bit of both” speed and handling were the culprit to his dwindling performance in 2024.

But it seems he had a lot in his chest and just wanted to vent it out. He went on to express how much work he was putting on and how it has been so far. He said, “I’ve tried to come into this year way more prepared than I have been. Studying more film, being more attentive in the meetings, and asking, I would think more of the right questions, but just asking more questions in general. It’s hard, man. We’re fighting for a thousandth of an inch.”

He added that he is competing against the best in the sport. “So you’re going up against the best of the best, and that’s what makes you show up the following week.”

However, things didn’t start on the wrong foot for Wallace this season. He started the season on a firm note. He achieved fifth place at both the Daytona 500 and Atlanta races in back-to-back weeks, but he hasn’t been able to secure a spot within the top 10 for the past five events.

Moreover, continuing his poor streak, his race came to an end in New Hampshire due to a crash, resulting in him earning only three points and finishing in 34th place. A further downfall for sure and given that he is not under contract for 2025, a question looms large—will he return next year? Will he still have that seat?

With Hamlin not happy, will Wallace still have that seat at 23XI?

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Every team owner wants their driver to win. While Tyler Reddick has secured his spot in the playoffs, Wallace is still searching for his first win and is on the outside looking in. His performance is not going unnoticed by team owner Denny Hamlin. In his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said, “Certainly, I’m not overjoyed with the performance and speed at 23XI right now.” 

He also mentioned that Wallace needs to work extra hard to make it into the challenging NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Hamlin pointed out that Wallace would need to consistently outperform Joey Logano each week to have a shot at the postseason.

He said “That’s not going to be easy. The way Logano’s been running, it’s not crazy and unthinkable, but you’re going to have to be consistently better than him over the next seven/eight weeks, and that will be a tough task.” Wallace indeed needs to tighten up his game and deliver better performances to secure a playoff spot. Without significant improvement, the situation could become disastrous for the team. But is one season alone enough to determine his future with the team?

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Wallace is expected to return for another season. Despite his rather turbulent season with just two top-15 finishes in the last fifteen races, seems he still has that coveted seat on Michael Jordon’s team next season. While this might be great news for him, right now his prerogative must be to get that spot on the playoffs. And if not, then to come back strong next season.