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NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace recently won the first Duel ahead of the prestigious Daytona 500 race on Sunday. Following his win, the Alabama native shared a short three-word reaction on his social media.
Bubba Wallace is a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver, piloting the #23 Toyota for 23XI Racing. Throughout his eight-year career, he has earned eight wins across various divisions, including two in the Cup Series, establishing himself as a competitive force in the sport.
Wallace dominated the first of two Daytona 500 duels, leading 21 laps and holding off the competition. The #23 Toyota driver skillfully defended against a three-wide charge from his rivals, securing the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday night. Following his victory, Wallace took to X and wrote:
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"HOW ‘BOUT IT!?"
Wallace started the 2025 season strong with a P5 finish at the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium after climbing from a 14th-place start. Carrying that momentum from the historic Winston-Salem oval to Daytona Beach, the #23 driver went on to claim his first-ever Duel victory, setting the stage for an exciting start to his Cup Series campaign.
Bubba Wallace endured a tough 2024 Cup Series season, going winless in 36 races and narrowly missing the playoffs, ultimately finishing 18th in the standings. Meanwhile, his 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick had a standout year, clinching the regular-season championship and finishing fourth overall.
Can the #23 driver make a statement this year? Share your thoughts in the comments.
"Thanks to Tyler": Bubba Wallace grateful for 23XI teammate after Duel victory
Bubba Wallace acknowledged his 23XI Racing teammate, 2024 regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, for their teamwork in securing his first Daytona Duel victory. Both drivers started Duel 1 from P14 and P15, working together to navigate through the field. After the race, Wallace expressed his excitement and reflected on his performance during a trackside interview.
"What a night. Crowds live tonight. Appreciate you guys. Hope that was a good race. There we go. Man, thanks to Tyler. That was awesome to see two team cars work together that well and learn a lot for Sunday. Did a great job pushing me. Our McDonald's Toyota Camry was really fast. Two different balances from being in the pack to being out front. So got some work to do there[...]I've won one of these dual wins for so long. All my buddies got them. Tyler got one last year and I'm pissed off. Got me one now. I'm good." Wallace said
On being asked how his team owner, NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan felt about his win, the #23 driver added,
"Yeah, no doubt. I think he got in last night. So it's definitely a make up for last night and the speed that we had. But we always know like kind of Toyotas will race really well in. So all in all, good day."
Meanwhile, the Daytona 500 is scheduled for 2:30 PM Eastern time on Sunday. Catch the action live on FOX, MRN, and SiriusXM.
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