Bubba Wallace drops 4-word reaction as 23XI Racing sweeps first-ever front row at COTA

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace did not need many words to express his excitement after a historic qualifying session at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

Bubba Wallace qualified with a lap time of 1:38.30, which was only bested by his 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick with a 1:38.08 finish in qualification on Saturday. This front-row lockout at COTA represents the first time 23XI Racing qualified 1 and 2 for in the team's history. Driving the No. 35 for Toyota, Riley Herbst, the third member of the team, will start at 31.

This is more than just a personal victory for Reddick or Wallace. Placing both 23XI Toyotas at the very front of the grid for the race is a particularly significant achievement at a challenging road course like COTA. Wallace expressed his excitement for the third race of the 2025 Cup Series by writing on Instagram and posting a reel with Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick:

"Front row in Austin 🤠""

Bubba Wallace will start in the second place, while his counterpart Reddick will start at the pole position in the NASCAR EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday.

In the Instagram reel, the trio was asked about who taught Bubba how to drive on race courses, to which Reddick quipped, "the short guy!" referring to himself. The three men then broke into laughter.

Such qualifying success can build momentum and boost team morale heading into a demanding race. Both Reddick and Wallace were interviewed by NASCAR after the race.

"All in all just uh man, I think today really, it threw us for a loop. The pace was nowhere what we thought it was going to be and everyone here on #45 and everyone here at 23XI really had to go to work on our Toyotas Camrys. And we made massive improvements I think from practice 1 and practice 2", said Reddick to NASCAR

Wallace’s reaction also highlighted the supportive and collaborative atmosphere within the 23XI Racing team, where teammate successes are genuinely celebrated.

Denny Hamlin, alongside Michael Jordan, is also a co-owner of the 23XI team. Denny also rides the No.11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He looked happy for his team as he will start at 11th position at COTA finishing qualification with a lap time of 1:38.74.

This year, the Circuit of the Americas will have a few changes, using the National Course configuration of the track for both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. Firstly, a 2.4-mile layout will be used instead of the 3.41-mile layout usually seen in previous years. The scheduled race distance will remain similar despite the miles covered being decreased from 231 miles to 228 miles as there will be 95 laps instead of 58 laps on Sunday.

Bubba Wallace and 23XI Racing's NASCAR season so far

Beyond the immediate excitement, this qualifying result could signal a step forward for 23XI Racing's road course program. Even though they are yet to win a race, the team has had consistent finishes. Tyler Reddick has had the best start with a runner-up finish at Daytona, currently holding third place in the Cup Series standings with 72 points. The number 45 looks forward to another successful run in Austin on Sunday with the pole finish in qualifying.

Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick with their Toyota Camrys- Source: Imagn

Bubba Wallace meanwhile, failed to finish at the Daytona 500 due to a crash but bounced back with a ninth-place result in Atlanta. He sits fifth overall with 64 points. The strong qualifying performance suggests the team has improved in car setup and driver performance. This shows promise for a technically demanding track like COTA. For Bubba Wallace, starting alongside his pole-sitting teammate Tyler Reddick at COTA presents a valuable opportunity for a strong race weekend.