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FONTANA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 29: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, stands by his car before qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
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FONTANA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 29: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, stands by his car before qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
23XI Racing has given Bubba Wallace an opportunity to take that next level in Cup Series racing. With superstars like Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin overseeing the ownership side of things, they would naturally expect their driver to be a fierce competitor as well.
Wallace did not disappoint in his first week of the new racing season either, starting off with great speeds in the practice and qualifying sessions. Although he ended up 17th in the Daytona 500, there were signs of promise that bodes well for the rest of the campaign.
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Speaking in a podcast, the host asked the former Richard Petty Motorsports driver what he would be willing to do to win a race in a situation where his co-owner Hamlin was leading upfront. The answer from Wallace was certainly interesting, to say the least!
‘You race how they race you,’ said Bubba Wallace
Wallace stated, “Well, let me say Denny is the minority owner, MJ is majority owner! (laughs). So for me, I’ve always, you race how they race you.”
“And if he didn’t wreck me to get by me, then I won’t wreck him. But I’m gonna do everything but that to win my first race.”
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BROOKLYN, MICHIGAN – AUGUST 10: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, stands next to his car in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The host then jokingly pointed out that if Hamlin hypothetically did wreck him, then he would no longer be in contention to run in second place. Wallace responded to that and said, “That’s true. He better wreck me good enough, so I don’t get back to that position!”
The No. 23 driver had a good chance to win the second stage of the race
While these are situations that have not occurred so far, Wallace may have to make some similar and actual split-second decisions in forthcoming races. For example, he was running in second and was only behind Hamlin in the second stage of the 2021 Daytona 500.
A lot of racing left. Excited, appreciative, determined. @23XIRacing pic.twitter.com/OcINtHq49L
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) February 15, 2021
Despite taking the lead heading into the final stretch, Wallace gave away enough gap for Hamlin to pass him. The fact that the No.23 Toyota Camry showed a lack of pace in the last few seconds also did not help him at all.
That said, the performance from Bubba definitely impressed quite a few people, and he will himself be looking forward to what lies ahead. After all, he is yet to win a Cup Series race and would want to get that done this year as one of his objectives.
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