"I've been racing to prove you wrong" - Bubba Wallace elaborates on his mindset during 2024 NASCAR Cup season

Coming on the back of a standout season last year, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace is heading into the 2024 NASCAR season with a fundamental change in mindset. The American is focused on delivering his best performance on the track.

Wallace was paired with highly-rated Tyler Reddick last year and was anticipating a tough intra-team battle. Despite not winning a race, the #23 Toyota driver made his first Cup Series playoff appearance and stood 10th in the year-end standings, four spots behind Reddick. This achievement has bolstered his confidence heading into the new season.

In a recent episode of Dirty Mo Media's Door, Bumper, Clear podcast, Bubba Wallace sat down with his long-time ally and spotter Freddie Kraft. During the conversation, Wallace expressed his desire to rediscover the confidence he had in his Truck Series Campaign for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2014.

"I have been really saying a lot about 2014, Bubba, like I'm trying to bring that back. Let's bring that confidence back because at the end of the year, we were running right there with him [Reddick]," he said.

Freddie Kraft added that in their 14-year partnership, he had never seen Wallace beaming with such confidence. Wallace further elaborated on the shift in mindset:

"Yeah, confidence coming off last year. For the last three years, I've been racing to prove you wrong [points at Kraft], prove you wrong [points at rest of DBC hosts], prove you wrong, prove people over here wrong."

"What the f**k does that matter? Go out and race, because you know how to race and win races and go have fun with it," he added.

Bubba Wallace fetched a fifth-place result in the season opener Daytona 500, despite being short-handed by strategy.

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Bubba Wallace explains his desire to embrace his 2014 spirit

Bubba Wallace recently explained that he has been revisiting his exploits in the 2014 Truck campaign and is trying to rediscover the same confidence.

Ahead of his 2024 Cup Series campaign, the 23XI Racing driver reflected on recent milestones and his early career success in NASCAR's National series.

"Turning 30, celebrating my one-year wedding anniversary, celebrating life, just having fun with life, letting the little stuff go, focus on the big stuff," he told NASCAR.com.

"I go back and find myself watching 2014 truck races, back when you really couldn’t tell that kid nothing. He’d just jump in a truck and go rip. Didn’t have any self-doubt in the world. So, trying to bring that back, so I feel good."

In 2014, Wallace piloted the #54 Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports, winning four races en route to a third-place finish in the standings. It was his best result in NASCAR's top three series.