Bubba Wallace is in pain. And he doesn’t know why. All he is aware of is the sharp feeling of disappointment running under his skin, which makes him stay up late in the night, listening to soulful music.

Wallace finished 10th in Sunday’s race at the 1-mile, tri-oval racetrack in Arizona, near Phoenix. But as he climbed out of his #23 Toyota, he didn’t look all right. Even the fact that his childhood buddy Ryan Blaney won his first Cup Series championship couldn’t fix his mood. But why is Bubba Wallace sulking?

Bubba’s bumpy ride

When Bubba Wallace qualified for the playoffs and then for the round of 12s, the 23XI Toyota team was overjoyed. After all, it was Wallace’s first time in the playoffs since he had signed a full-time deal with the Jordan-Hamlin-owned team. However, his happiness was short-lived as he got ousted from the playoff rumble at Charlotte ROVAL where he finished 16th.

Since then, it was all about preparing for the upcoming season and coming back stronger. However, it looks like Bubba Wallace was exceptionally frustrated at what happened last Sunday. And it involved RFK Racing owner, Brad Keselowski. The 2012 Cup Champion missed qualifying on Saturday as his wife went into labor for the third time and back in North Carolina. SHR’s Cole Custer ran his #6 machine for the qualifiers. Despite starting the 312 lap-long race from the back of the field, he steered forth through the traffic, and by the end of stage 2, he was jostling 17th and started 13th for Stage 2.

The Castrol Edge Ford entered the top 10 on lap 171, at the same time when his teammate Chris Buescher took the lead. Finishing 9th in Stage 2, Keselowski started 7th in the last segment. A green-flag pit stop baked with a final caution with 37 laps to go, put the RFK owner in a position where he had to restart 8th. However, he was hit during the closing laps, which ruined a probable top-10 for him, forcing him to settle for a 15th-place finish. Unfortunately, the one hitting Brad Keselowski was Bubba Wallace.

Bubba Wallace wasn’t happy about spoiling the day for Brad Keselowski. During a post-race interview, Wallace stated, “I did not want to finish 10th the way I did. I got into Brad there and it’s hard to be excited about that but I wasn’t trying to slide job or anything. Hit the seam and got loose.”

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While flying back from Phoenix, the feeling of uneasiness and disappointment just wasn’t ready to get off Wallace’s back. And that was evident from the long self-instrospectory note that he put on his Instagram story.

“I know exactly what Bubba Wallace is talking about”

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Mental health has been a widely discussed topic nowadays. CNN Health says, “At least 49,449 lives were lost due to intentional self-harm in 2022 — nearly 15 deaths for every 100,000 people.” Hence, people must be there for each other during times like these. On that note, it almost felt like something had choked the Alabama native and snatched away his peace of mind. His fans, however, were prompt in expressing their support for the talented athlete.

Someone wrote, “It’s the worst. It’s almost an emotional paralysis.” Another fan related to Bubba’s painful words and said, “This exactly. It hurts. Feel for Bubba.”

“As someone who struggles with depression/anxiety, I feel this completely. Full respect to Bubba, sometimes all you can do is stare at the wall and start fresh tomorrow,” added another. A fan admitted, “This feeling is so fucking relatable. And it’s a damn shame, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. This is why he is my favorite driver.”

“I know exactly what he’s talking about – he describes it well. Good on him for sharing. Hope you come out the other end soon, Bubba,” said a supporter wishing Bubba luck. While another said, “This is pretty much how my depression hits on the bad days, I feel for him.”

Watch This Story: The Unspoken Regret of a NASCAR Legend

As racing enthusiasts and Bubba Wallace fans, we wish that this very capable driver successfully battles his inner demons and emerges victorious again. Let’s just pray for Bubba Wallace’s speedy recovery.