23XI Racing‘s breakthrough driver, Bubba Wallace remains a hot topic in the racing world. His playoff debut in the 2023  season thrust him into the spotlight, where he’s been a constant presence, generating both praise and criticism. Following a disappointing performance at Kansas Speedway, Wallace faces renewed scrutiny.

However, he’s not one to shy away from the critics, and his recent clapback against the naysayers has stirred up conversations across the NASCAR community.

Michael Jordan’s ace takes the baton forward for the #45 car’s Kansas legacy

Lap 108 at the Hollywood Casino 400 spelled misfortune for Wallace as his No. 23 Toyota faced a tire blowout. This unexpected mishap sent him careening into the outside wall as he exited Turn 2, causing significant damage, including breaking the right rear toe link. To make matters worse, Wallace was in a promising second-place position before the incident occurred. Post-race Wallace lamented not hugging the fence more closely, which might have minimized the damage.

“I got loose like 5 laps before but I realized that was kind of like my line and my approach to exit turn 4 and then 3 or 4 laps later it blew out. No indication going into one so I’m pi**ed at myself that I wasn’t closer to the fence.” Ultimately, Wallace finished in 32nd place, leaving him with disappointment and self-blame.

While Wallace was grappling with self-criticism following his unfortunate race incident, he couldn’t help but express his joy for a teammate, Tyler Reddick, who clinched victory at the Hollywood Casino 400. Wallace gave a heartfelt congratulatory message to Reddick,

“Congrats to Tyler[Reddick] I’m pumped for him for sure, glad he listened to me because I was running him down and then he got a little sketched out that I was a little close to him, trying to help him, he’s a little mental case sometimes but it all worked out and he got his dub and proud of him, kept the #45 streak at Kansas in the fall going so it’s good.” 

Wallace, despite their friendly banter, expressed genuine pride in Reddick’s victory, preserving the #45 car’s Kansas success legacy. Last year, Wallace himself drove the #45 car to victory, and prior to that, it was Kurt Busch.

Wallace & Reddick’s camaraderie is well-known off the racetrack, but some critics latched onto Wallace’s playful remark about Michael Jordan‘s prodigy being a “little mental case.” This sparked an unwarranted backlash against Wallace. Unfazed, Wallace addressed the situation on Twitter, sarcastically this time. Bubba posted, “Dawh Bubba can’t pick on his friends in interviews,” shutting down the haters with a touch of humor.

In a post-race press conference following the Kansas race, Reddick expressed his sympathy for Wallace, recognizing the challenges he has faced recently. Reddick addressed Wallace’s misfortune, reminiscing about his own experiences with tire troubles last year.

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Reddick’s compassion for Wallace as he acknowledges recent woes for the #23 team

He noted, “Yeah, we’ll definitely talk about it tomorrow on our debriefs. But I think there’s been some things that I’ve been through last year that may help just everyone understand maybe what exactly happened. I had a lot of flats last year. I hate to see that for him. Goodyear has done a really good job of fixing a lot of the issues that we had with the tire last year, but unfortunately, as we get more and more speed out of these cars, the forces through the tires just keep increasing, too.”

Reddick also expressed disappointment for Wallace, acknowledging “Hate to see that. They had a really solid car. They would have certainly contended the rest of the day, as well.”

Now, Wallace heads into the pivotal Playoff Round of 12 grid decider race at Bristol, facing a do-or-die situation. Currently trailing the final spot above the cutline by 19 points, can Wallace reverse his playoff fortunes and ride the tide to secure his spot in the next round?

Read more: Hours Before Billionaire Michael Jordan’s Approval, Bubba Wallace Received 5-Word Ultimatum From His NASCAR Team Employee