Bristol Motor Speedway has long been known as “The Last Great Colosseum” for good reason. It’s a track that can humble even the most seasoned NASCAR drivers in mere moments. Bubba Wallace showcased impressive form with a strong Bristol performance last fall with a solid p3 finish. And given the momentum he was carrying since after Homestead and Martinsville, he was expected to do well.
But Sunday’s Food City 500 presented a stark reminder of the track’s unforgiving nature. Kyle Larson dominated with a staggering 411 laps led of the race’s 500 circuits. Meanwhile, Wallace found himself battling the concrete half-mile oval with diminishing returns. His performance declined as the day progressed. He ultimately finished 19th after showing early promise.
Bubba Wallace’s 23XI Racing Toyota faded through the field. The driver currently sits 8th in the Cup Series standings. He took to social media with a raw assessment of his day. It has to be noted that Wallace was winless the entirety of 2024 and even missed the playoffs, so with the new crew chief and energy, 2025 was expected to be the year where he turned the corner for good. Yet, for some reason, he finds himself in a similar position as he was after the start of the season. But he is not losing sleep over the dip in form, and that was evident from his social media post.
Family Laughter Becomes Wallace’s Beacon After Bristol Struggle
The day started with a promise for Wallace. He ran competitively in the early stages. But then he was mired in traffic and couldn’t make any significant gains. “Damn that was rough. Thought it was going alright and then just plateaued,” Wallace noted. His comment captured the frustration of a race where track position proved critical. After a good run at Atlanta and back-to-back top 5 finishes, Wallace hasn’t been able to bag top 10 finishes in the last two races.
Spirits were high within the #23 camp and Bubba shared the sentiment on social media after a string of good runs. “There is something special with this group this year! Time to really lock in and get the stars aligned. Back-to-back top 5s is great start… but there is 24 more left. Y’all enjoy it for me. Bourbon me.” But in reality, he’s hit a slump of sorts where he’s not leading races or competing for stage wins. Yet he’s found solace in one thing, and that is his family. Wallace has been hard on himself for not getting the desired results, but that has changed after he became a father last year.
But it was what happened after the checkered flag that truly defined Wallace’s evolution. Both as a driver and as a person. “Hearing my wife make Becks laugh on the way to the plane. Made me realize, oh well move on. Nothing better than hearing that! See y’all in dega, I’m out,” Bubba Wallace shared on X. The simple moment of family joy provided immediate perspective. It transformed what could have been a crushing disappointment. It became merely another racing challenge to overcome.
This reaction demonstrates the maturity of a driver who maintains his solid position. He holds 8th in the championship standings despite the Bristol setback. Wallace trails teammate Tyler Reddick by just 23 points through nine races. This is the closest the 23XI Racing duo has been at this point in any season. This consistency has positioned Wallace firmly in playoff contention. It’s a stark contrast to previous seasons. Early struggles often left him playing catch-up in the standings then.
Bristol may not have delivered the result Wallace desired. His gaze is already fixed forward to a special track. Talladega Superspeedway is where his NASCAR Cup Series journey reached its first pinnacle. NASCAR returns there after the upcoming week off.
Damn that was rough. Thought it was going alright and then just plateaued.
Hearing my wife make Becks laugh on the way to plane. Made me realize, oh well move on. Nothing better than hearing that!
See yall in dega, I’m out.
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) April 13, 2025
Talladega holds special significance for Wallace. It’s the site of his first Cup Series victory in 2021. That win came in a weather-shortened event. The upcoming race presents an opportunity for Wallace. He could claim a full-distance win at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Drafting and strategic partnerships often determine success there. Last season, his teammate Reddick won the spring race at Talladega. This perhaps signals that 23XI Racing has found the superspeedway formula. And it could benefit Wallace this time around.
The Easter break came at the right time for Wallace and his team. They can gather their thoughts and come out with a fresh approach when NASCAR goes green back at Dega. But the 23XI Racing driver did cause trouble for his competitors, and Chase Elliott was quick to let Wallace know how he felt on the radio.
Track Tensions Rise as Elliott Voices Frustration with Wallace’s Driving Style
Wallace found solace in family moments after Bristol’s disappointment. But not everyone left the “Last Great Colosseum” with warm feelings toward the 23XI Racing driver. Chase Elliott currently sits fourth in the championship standings. He voiced clear frustration with Wallace’s on-track tactics during Stage 2 of Sunday’s Food City 500. “The damn 23 [Wallace] mirror drives us every week,” Elliott complained over his radio. Brett Winningham of Speedway Digest reported this comment. It highlights a recurring irritation between the two drivers. They maintain a friendly relationship away from the racetrack.
The tension adds another layer to Bubba Wallace’s Bristol struggles. The 23 car not only battled performance issues. It also managed to aggravate one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers in the process. This isn’t Elliott’s first confrontation this season. He previously clashed with Ross Chastain at both COTA and Darlington’s Xfinity race. This represents a growing list of on-track grievances for the Hendrick Motorsports driver. Elliott has maintained remarkable consistency with no finishes outside the top 20 this season.
But we saw last year that only consistent runs aren’t enough to book a spot in the championship race. Elliott understands the demands and pressure of competing in the Cup Series, and like Wallace, the HMS star only has two top 5 runs so far. It will be interesting to see how the two drivers fare at the high banks of Talladega when racing resumes.
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