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23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace is brimming with confidence after a dominant performance at the recently concluded Cook Out 400.
The 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway is the shortest oval on the NASCAR calendar and hosted the eighth Cup Series weekend. William Byron sealed his third victory of the season, while for Wallace, both qualifying and the 415-lap race turned out to be the best of the season.
The Alabama native set the second-fastest speed during the qualifying and was just 0.001 seconds away from being the polesitter for the first time this season. Kyle Larson had the quickest time at 19.781 seconds.
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Bubba Wallace shone throughout the season's first races at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing fifth. However, he struggled to maintain his form in subsequent races, finishing all outside the top 10.
Nevertheless, he seems to have regained his mojo and his Martinsville run is testament to that. Not only did he record a season-best finish at P4, he also bagged P2 in both stages during his 210.4 miles of action-packed run.
Following his strong display, the #23 Toyota driver said (via Zach Arnold on X):
"Let's get our stuff together, we know what we're capable of is days like this, you know, I'll continue to take top-4 finishes."
Bubba Wallace and crew chief engage in a happy post-race exchange at Martinsville
Shortly after the 30-year-old driver started his career with 23XI Racing in 2021, his then crew chief Mike Wheeler moved up in the ranks. Robert A. Barker III, renowned in the arena as Bootie Barker, entered the scene.
The crew chief and Bubba Wallace shared their maiden season for eight races. Under Braker's guidance, the #23 driver recorded his first Cup Series win, securing the YellaWood 500 win at the Talladega Superspeedway in 2021. The duo won again at the 2022 Kansas Speedway race, marking Wallace's second triumph.
This year, shortly after wrapping up his best finish so far, the 23XI Racing driver and Bootie Barker indulged in a hilarious exchange at the pitlane. Though the exact conversation isn't clear, their gestures suggested that they were in good spirits.
Here is the video of the duo savoring the post-race moment:
