Failing to Retain Michael Jordan’s Crown, “Choked” Bubba Wallace Could Outclass Denny Hamlin Amidst Changing Playoff Narrative

Despite this being his maiden year in the NASCAR playoffs, 23XI Racing’s star racer Bubba Wallace has made quite the impact so far. Finishing under the top 10 in the playoff opener at Darlington, he scraped through to the round of 12 on points and almost made his entry fruitful with a win at Texas. Though his P3 finish at Fort Worth is certainly a disappointment considering that he looked poised for the win, it did send a strong statement throughout the grid. Wallace was as big a threat to the other drivers as Denny Hamlin or William Byron.

Going to Talladega, only Hendrick Motorsports’ Byron has his seat in the round of 8 ascertained. For all the others including 23XI Racing‘s co-owner, Hamlin, Wallace will stand a hurdle.

Bubba Wallace’s failure to keep the crown on Michael Jordan’s head

Since 23XI Racing came into existence in 2020 under the partnership of Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, it has been making quite a few rounds on NASCAR. Bubba Wallace was the first racer that the team signed and he has proven to be a significant investment. Continuously improving his performances through the last 3 seasons, he now threatens the fastest cars on the track. But where he failed to make as big an impact as the basketball legend would have liked is at Texas last weekend.

Press the rewind button to a year back and we can see 23XI Racing’s #45 Toyota firing to victory under the command of Tyler Reddick in Texas. The 26-year-old had given his team a very crucial victory and placed the crown of being the Wild West conqueror on Michael Jordan’s head. In 2023, Bubba Wallace almost did the same. Almost. Despite leading a career-high 111 laps in the race, he failed to make good of a late restart in the game and succumbed the win to William Byron. A devastated Wallace said after the race, “I’ve just upset myself. I really needed a win there. It’s a good showing. Don’t know where that puts us. I don’t care, but I know what I did… I choked!”

Despite losing out on the win, Wallace has two more shots at redemption in the following second-stage races at Talladega and the Roval. But also in contention with him for the win is his benefactor, the experienced, Denny Hamlin.

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Redemption-seeking Bubba Wallace could push over Michael Jordan’s partner

Denny Hamlin has been racing in the top tier of NASCAR for 17 years now without winning a single championship trophy. Drivers younger than him and arguably less skilled than him, have come and etched their names on the board, but he hasn’t been able to do so despite his best attempts. Hamlin’s purpose is perhaps greater than all the other drivers on the grid. With time running out, he is under pressure like never before to get his hands on the final trophy. Adding fuel to that fire is the recent turn of sentiment against him from fans. Winning the race at Bristol, he completed his run at Texas with a P5.

Though Hamlin has been rather open with his confidence about his chances this year, the “villain” of NASCAR could face an unlikely villain in Bubba Wallace. Coming up next on the schedule is the high-speed race at Talladega. And, Toyotas have been among the fastest cars on the grid this year. Both Hamlin and Wallace drive the same maker’s cars. This means that it will ultimately come down to a show of speed and skill for both drivers.

Speaking on his podcast, Hamlin had to acknowledge the prowess of his own #23 team. He said, “They’re running strong. Certainly, they’re strong contenders,”. Talking about his prediction for the Talladega race, he continued, “We’re going to Talladega now. It’s going to be, I don’t know, I thought Daytona would be a s*** show, it didn’t really turn out to be, as much. I guess I’ll call this week, another s*** show.”  

Regardless of the missed opportunity at Texas, Wallace believes that he had a shot at the win in Talladega. This first could make or break either of the driver’s championship hopes. With Hamlin expecting a “s*** show,” it is going to be very exciting to watch how the event unfolds at the fastest track in NASCAR!

Read More: Denny Hamlin’s Discontent Grows as Bubba Wallace’s Last-Minute Move Puts a Pricey Dent in 23XI Racing