The NASCAR Cup Series drivers were forced to stop during the first stage itself on Sunday as the red flag came out due to wet track conditions. Meanwhile, Bubba Wallace decided to prank reporters as well as fans about one of the hottest topics going around in NASCAR – his team with Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan – 23XI Racing.

The team announced its name and logo earlier this week. At the same time, it was announced that Wallace will drive the No. 23 car next year.

However, during the rain break on Sunday, Wallace decided to have some fun during an interview. When asked about his thoughts going into 2021, Wallace said it would be great to close it out in style in the 43 car at Richard Petty Motorsports.

How Bubba Wallace teased fans

Wallace then said, “Correct me if I’m wrong. Did I say that (23) was the car number? That was just the team name. Everybody is just assuming that I’m driving the 23.”

This certainly caught the reporter off-guard, who was then confused whether the car number was actually announced and if Wallace was right. Moreover, a lot of fans and others in the NASCAR community also started scratching their heads, scrambling around to check the details again.

Wallace was enjoying the show, and he later revealed that his mission was just to mess with people and make them ‘lose their minds’.

The team’s name and logo both incorporated the 23 and Hamlin’s 11, but in the Roman form. While Wallace confused one and all, many even missed the detail that Hamlin himself recently spoke about choosing the number 23.

Details about 23XI Racing

There hasn’t been. To us, it was a mere formality on that sense. We hadn’t talked about it, for any other number. There were conversations with him (Jordan) and myself and Bubba. And it just made the most sense for sure,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin also said that other details about the manufacturer, Crew Chief, etc. will be revealed early next week.

Meanwhile, Wallace found the ideal chance to play a prank on the NASCAR community. Drivers and teams waited patiently for the race to restart at Texas on Sunday.

Read more – “Mere Formality” – Denny Hamlin Opens up on Discussions With Bubba Wallace and Michael Jordan for No. 23