No, Bubba Wallace has not won the Daytona 500 so far. However, he has come close, finishing second in the 2018 and 2022 editions. Wallace began racing at nine, racing in the Bandolero and Legends car series. By 2005, he won 35 of 48 Bandolero races and, in 2008, he became the youngest winner at Franklin County Speedway.
In 2010, Wallace joined the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, winning at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and becoming the first African American Rookie of the Year. He moved to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012 and raced full-time in the Xfinity Series with Roush Fenway Racing. In 2013, he won in the NASCAR Truck Series, making his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2017.
The 2018 Daytona 500 took place on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway. The race extended to 207 laps due to overtime, with Austin Dillon taking the victory while Wallace finished second for Richard Petty Motorsports. It was Wallace’s first Daytona 500 start.
During practice, Wallace posted the fastest time in the final session at 196.954 mph. He qualified 25th, while Alex Bowman secured pole position with a lap time of 46.002 seconds. In the Can-Am Duels, Wallace participated in Duel 1 and finished third.
The 2022 Daytona 500, held on February 20, was the first featuring the Next Gen car. Austin Cindric won, while Bubba Wallace secured his second runner-up finish, this time with 23XI Racing. The race was highly competitive, with Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch battling for the lead early. Wallace remained in contention throughout, positioning himself well in the final laps. The race ended with a green-white-checker finish, where Cindric led 21 of the last 45 laps and narrowly held off Wallace at the finish line.
Bubba Wallace’s 2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray
Wallace competed in the 2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray, a 200-lap exhibition race. He secured a top-five finish but sparked controversy after spinning RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski past the halfway mark. Wallace took responsibility, stating (via SportsRush):
“I hate that I got into the #6. I didn’t want to get a top-five finish that way. He was doing everything he could to get down, and I got greedy and wanted to fill the hole. I really didn’t think I hit him that hard, but obviously, I did, so I apologize.”
He also voiced frustration with his car, adding:
“We were still missing something. This tire was also from Martinsville in the fall. I didn’t like the car then. I don’t like it now, but you have to fight for it. I need to look back on what I can do better with this tire. I think it’s more on me than the car—just getting the potential out of it. But all in all, it was a fun night.”
Keselowski finished 21st, while Chase Elliott won the event. Wallace and his team are now focused on improving performance for upcoming races, including the 2024 Daytona 500, scheduled for February 16, 2025.