When Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan announced the creation of a new NASCAR team in 2020, they also chose Bubba Wallace as one of their drivers. Formerly driving for Richard Petty Motorsports, Wallace had not managed to secure a win in 3 full-time seasons. But with the change of teams, his luck changed too and he was able to get his first Cup Series win with 23XI Racing in 2021.

As we approach the 2023 season’s playoff race at Talladega, the track where Wallace got his first win, it is only ideal to look back at the moment to get a gist of the coming weekend. Considering the current position that he is now, it makes it all the more important to know if he will be able to relive those moments of glory.

Bubba Wallace’s maiden Cup Series win on a rain-hit day at Talladega

The Talladega Super Speedway is considered to be the fastest track. As the longest NASCAR oval, it boasts a length of 2.6 miles and makes it very easy for drivers to exceed speeds of over 200 miles per hour. Before the gates of the track first opened in the 1960s, the land was just a stretch of area next to abandoned runways, more suited for farming. But the construction crew that worked on it had converted it into one of the most competitive racetracks in the world. Approximately 50 years after the first race car broke its ground, Bubba Wallace, a 27-year-old native of Alabama got his maiden with at the track.

Managing to stay out of trouble throughout the race’s course, Bubba Wallace got a shoulder from the timely showers of rain to become the 12th driver ever to get his first win at Talladega. The October day had begun with him starting at P19 on the grid. As he made steady progress and escaped unscathed from the big wrecks of the day, he took the lead at the end of the 2nd stage. When a 5th caution of the day caused all the cars to encircle the oval with Wallace in the lead, rain struck and ended the race at 118 laps. Unable to spar with the showers, NASCAR called the race and announced Wallace the day’s winner.

Talking to the media after the race, the driver was thrilled with the history he’d created. Giving a shout-out to his benefactors, he said, “New team coming in and getting a win late in the season. I know a lot of history was made today, I believe, which is really cool, but it’s about our guys, about our team, about what was done. I appreciate Michael Jordan, I appreciate Denny for believing in me and giving me the opportunity… It’s pretty fitting that it comes here at Talladega.”

There’s little doubt that Denny Hamlin and MJ wouldn’t have been as thrilled as the driver himself, for the win was also 23XI Racing’s first. As Wallace became the first African American to score a Cup race win since Wendell Scott in 1963, Hamlin finished at P7. Now that we are heading back to the same track over the coming weekend, the only question is whether Wallace can replicate his speed from 2021 and get the better of his car’s owner again.

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Wallace’s chances of conquering his favorite hunting ground, punching into the round of 8

Since Wallace’s P1 in 2021, he has not managed to get inside the top 10 in Talladega. As a matter of fact, he hasn’t done so ever since that one occasion. But the latter half of 2023 has not been the same for him as that of previous years. Getting into the playoffs for the first time in his career, he has also managed to keep his championship hopes breathing so far. He goes Talladega riding on top of his brilliant showcase of speed at the Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished at P3.

The Toyota that he drives has also been one of the fastest cars this year. Should he manage to stay out of trouble like he did two years back, the pace of his car alone could lead him to the victory lane. But Talladega is a track that can be very unpredictable. His wreck from being the leader at the track earlier this year is a testament to that.

Though the driver did appear a bit disappointed with not getting the win at Texas, he’d refocused his attention to Talladega and said, “The McDonald’s Toyota Camry was good out front. Struggled in traffic a little bit. But we grinded. Come out with good solid points today. Appreciate everybody’s support and effort. We’ll go on to Talladega.”

The momentum that he has gained at Texas will play a role in his performance at Talladega, no doubt, but he will have to be dependent on more than just rain and an early finish to secure his win at the track this time. Let us know what you think of his chances of winning this weekend!

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