An intense Darlington race ended with some highs and some lows for the 23XI team. While Tyler Reddick won his first regular-season championship, gaining the bonus 15 playoff points to aid his campaign further, Bubba Wallace will have to sit out the 2024 Cup Series playoffs. Wallace did all he could, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

Co-owner of the 23XI team, Michael Jordan, has always rallied behind Wallace and Reddick, motivating and supporting them in their journeys. The #23 has also been vocal about MJ’s involvement in his career. Despite a great performance from his team, the basketball legend was not satisfied, as he wanted to see both his drivers excel.

Bubba Wallace misses out in Darlington

The stage was set for Wallace. He started the race from the pole position and went on to finish second in the first stage, bagging the crucial nine points. As the race went on, the #23 maintained a top 10 position. Darlington was a must-win for Wallace as he entered the race trailing behind Chris Buescher by 21 points. If not a win, he needed a significant gap in the finishing position between him and Buescher, which, for a small part of the race, Wallace managed when he narrowed down the gap to just 2 points.

To add to his problems, a caution flag for Hocevar’s spin disrupted the race, causing Wallace and Buescher to lose ground. Another yellow flag at the end of the race forced Wallace into the middle of the pack, where he was involved in a major crash with 23 laps remaining. This led to Bubba Wallace finishing 16th.

However, had Wallace finished ahead of Buescher, it still would not have sufficed due to the imminent danger of a new winner. And that is what happened! Chase Briscoe, in a sheer display of skill, took the lead over a dominant Kyle Larson and, in the last 17 laps, fended off two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who took P2. Wallace and Buescher were both knocked out, leaving Michael Jordan disappointed.

Firstly, he lauded the #23 for a great effort, saying, “I mean we got the right team, these guys, they busy their ass all season. Bubba fought all night, he got caught in the wreck. Even though the 14 won it would have been tough for us to point out way in so we had to win. But he put it on pole yesterday. He put up a great effort. I am proud of the team.” However, MJ won’t be satisfied even though his team might fight for the championship this season. MJ believes his basketball career strived for perfection and greatness, and that is what he wants for Wallace.

“Believe me I’m not satisfied by no means. He still has a chance to win the championship at the end of the season. That’s what we gonna strive for. With Bubba, he’s just gotta keep getting better, he’s gonna use his next races to try to get a win and do the best that he can. We can’t stay in the same place, we gotta keep getting better,” MJ added.

Despite missing out, we have seen a different Bubba Wallace this season—one who is more calm and composed, resulting in his best season so far!

Bubba Wallace stays calm after missing out

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The #23 faction should not see this as a loss, as they have plenty to celebrate. Wallace clearly has the pace, as seen in qualifying and also in the race when he increased his gap with Buescher. Overall, the team should celebrate his consistency. In his last eight races, including Darlington, Wallace has finished in the top 10 on five occasions. He has managed his career-best average finish (15.81) in the Cup Series, despite not having the best average start.

Wallace knows he did everything he could and has accepted the outcome. Reiterating this, he said, “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 loss, he is happy for his teammate, “Best of luck to the 45 (Tyler Reddick), and hopefully a Toyota wins,” he added.

Next up are the playoffs. Things are surely going to get more thrilling. Who is your pick for the 2024 championship? Let us know in the comments below.