“He's one of the best up on the roof”: Bubba Wallace full of praise for his spotter Freddie Kraft after qualifying for the NASCAR playoffs

Bubba Wallace secured a spot in the playoffs for the first time since becoming a full-time driver in 2018.

The American held the 16th and final playoff position in the race at Daytona, but faced competition from 16 other drivers who had the chance to steal the spot from Wallace with a race win.

Aric Almirola and Chase Elliott, both looking for a playoff spot, had opportunities to win in the final laps but they couldn't overcome pack leaders Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski, thus ensuring Wallace's place in the playoffs.

Bubba Wallace's Grit Secures Playoffs Spot, Acknowledging Team Effort and Triumph

Bubba Wallace finished the race in 12th place and secured his spot in the playoffs. Wallace spoke to Motorsports.com after the race, summarizing the events of the race and praising his spotter for the good work. He said:

"That was the most stressed but also the most locked in I've ever been, Knowing that this place is mostly out of your control, I just tried to focus on doing the things that I could do. Missing that wreck was massive. Appreciate Freddy. He's one of the best up on the roof. Gets us through that a lot. That's what helps our resume here with the speedway stuff."

He added:

Proud to be locked into the Playoffs. 23XI, the third year in, getting both cars in the playoffs. We've gone through a lot of trials and tribulations. So proud of the effort we put in. No matter how much we set ourselves back, we know that we have a kick-ass group and can bounce back from everything."

Legendary basketball player and co-owner of the 23XI Racing team, Michael Jordan, congratulated the 29-year-old on securing the playoff spot.

The two-time NASCAR Cup Series race champion was understandably overjoyed and relieved after the race and spoke to media about the experience. He said:

“I’m just relieved. I apologized to my wife (Amanda) all week. I haven’t been myself – I’ve been stressing. Thankful that we are in it. That is the most calm I’ve ever been. It’s ass-backward."

He added:

You come to Daytona, and you focus so much on controlling the things that you can control. My stubborn ass never wants to listen to people telling me that. I finally did that, and we are locked in. What an incredible feat for our 23 team."

Following the reset, Bubba Wallace will kick off the playoffs in the 16th position, holding no bonus points. The competition will eliminate drivers ranked 13th to 16th after the third playoff race.