FORT WORTH, Texas – Bubba Wallace continued to prove he’s Playoff-worthy at Texas Motor Speedway.
After winning the pole for the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, the first race of the Round of 12, he led a career- and event-best 111 laps on Sunday.
Yet a late-race caution—and, in retrospect, what he considered the wrong lane choice—ultimately cost him the win and an automatic ticket to the Round of 8.
“Third time I fooled myself starting on top,” said Wallace, who finished third behind race winner William Byron and second-place Ross Chastain. “These guys gave me the right information. The 14 (Chase Briscoe) was tight and he sent it off in there. Wasn’t going to stick, but that’s what he’s going to do. We’re racing for a win.
“I just hate it. I should have just kept my line into (Turn 3), and forced William to get tight. But we’re so vulnerable in these cars, right?
“But just upset with myself. Really needed a win there, and it was a good showing. I don’t know where that puts us. I don’t really care. But I know what I did—and I choked.”
Wallace sacrificed track position near the end of Stage 1 to pit for service and finished 10th in the first segment. He finished ninth in Stage 2. Wallace was eighth to start the final stage and quickly moved back into the top five.
After winning Stage 2, Kyle Larson showed his dominance over the final segment—but Wallace remained in the hunt. When three of the drivers opted to pit ahead of him after the ninth caution on Lap 245, Wallace rolled up to second and was able to challenge Larson on the restart.
With 19 laps remaining, Wallace let the field know he wasn’t going away quietly. He raced Larson aggressively, yet cleanly on the restart. The drivers raced side-by-side for a lap. Entering Turn 1 on the second circuit, Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet spun around and slammed into the outside wall.
“He did a good job to stay with me on the restart through (Turns) 3 and 4,” Larson said. “I tried to open up, have my shape into 1. With these cars, you usually don’t get sucked around like that. So, I wasn’t really expecting it. I thought I would be fine. We just went in there, side-by-side, and I lost it really quickly and crashed.
“Pretty bummed. But happy for William, happy for Mr. H (Rick Hendrick.) Three hundred Cup Series wins are incredible. Great night overall for our organization. Congrats to William. Congrats to my team, too. We had a super fast car. We’ve had a fast car every Playoff race so far to start. Go to Talladega and try to have a good day, have some good fortune, and have a good day at the Roval.”
Certainly, if NASCAR still had the Goody’s Headache Award, Larson would have been the hands-down recipient after leading 99 laps and finishing 31st. Still, Larson sits in eighth place, two points above the cut line for the Round of 8. Wallace, who entered the second round without Playoff points, ranks ninth—two points below.
Still, the marked improvement on the No. 23 23XI Racing team in their third season is evident—and it begins with the driver.
In Wallace’s previous eight starts at the 1.5-mile track, he scored one top 10 and led two laps. Sunday was Wallace’s first podium Cup finish in the Lone Star State.
“Yeah, you’ve just got to process things slower,” Wallace said. “I feel like I’ve made a massive improvement in that, processing things a little bit better, but when it comes down to crunch time, you have to keep it all in check.
“The best restarter in the game gives it up on a restart. Funny how that works. Appreciate everybody; McDonald’s Toyota Camry was good out front. Struggled in traffic a little bit, but we grinded, to come out with good, solid points today. Appreciate everybody’s support and effort, and we’ll go on to Talladega.”
Wallace won the fall race at Talladega Superspeedway two years ago. The victory marked his first and the first for 23XI Racing. In the spring, he led 35 laps on the 2.6-mile track.
While Wallace is looking forward to racing in Alabama next weekend, Sunday’s loss might take a while to process for the 29-year-old racer.
“We deserve to be in Victory Lane, but nothing is ever guaranteed,” Wallace said. “You have to go out and fight for it and not give it away. And that’s what I did. I hate it.
“This one is going to sting for a little bit.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
