"Bubba Wallace did not let anyone down" - 23XI Racing's president backs his driver after P3 finish at NASCAR Playoffs race in Texas

Out of the many drivers who were sent home disappointed with their finish at Texas, Bubba Wallace might have been the most disappointed.

The 23XI Racing driver, who is fighting for a spot in the Round of eight in his first-ever NASCAR Playoffs appearance, finished in P3 after leading 111 laps at Texas Motor Speedway last weekend.

The Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 saw the #23 Toyota Camry TRD driver give up stage points during stage 1 due to the speed of their car. Believing in the pace of his machinery, Wallace elected to pit and take new tires, trying to rebound from the lost track position to challenge for the win later on. While the strategy seemed to work partially, a later caution allowed Bubba Wallace to regain track position.

The final few laps of the event saw the Mobile, Alabama native control the race on several restarts before Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron managed to pass him.

The #24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver could do so as Wallace battled with Chase Briscoe in P1 and P2, respectively. After losing out on an imminent victory, Wallace was seen beating down himself in the post-race interviews.

23XI Racing's president Steve Lauletta replied to one such interview on X (formerly Twitter) and tried to uplift his driver's spirits. He wrote:

"I guarantee you @BubbaWallace did not let anyone @23XIRacing down after a strong start to the #NASCARPlayoffs Round of 12. Pole, 111 laps led, stages points, 3rd place finish! Nice to be disappointed with that as the type of driver and team we have."

Bubba Wallace will be seen next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, where he is still on the cutoff line for his Round of 8 advancement prospects.

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Kyle Larson reacts to his spin while racing Bubba Wallace in Texas

Another driver who had a frustrating end to his day was Kyle Larson, who retired after spinning out during the Texas Playoffs race.

The #5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver was seen battling Wallace for the lead when his car swapped ends and crashed into the outside wall.

He elaborated on the incident in a post-race interview with Frontstretch.com and said:

"I wasn't expecting to get loose like that underneath the #23. I was trying to get my shape into (turn) 1 and should've given a little more space."

Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace will continue their Round of 8 contention at Talladega Superspeedway next Sunday (October 2).