“Playoff-bound” Bubba Wallace shares his delight and reflects on a stressful week after qualifying on points

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace is officially playoff-bound as he enters the NASCAR Cup Series postseason for the first time in his career.

Wallace headed to the Coke Zero 400 race at Daytona occupying the final spot in the playoffs. Ty Gibbs and Daniel Suarez could have still put him out on points.

However, as the race panned out under the lights, neither of them had scored enough points to challenge Bubba Wallace for the spot. The #23 Toyota driver was almost locked into the playoffs after stage two as he prayed for a repeat winner.

Wallace breathed a sigh of relief as Chis Buescher took the checkered flag which confirmed his playoff berth. Post-race, he released a video message on social media celebrating the achievement with his wife Amanda Carter

"Babe, We're Locked in!" he said to his wife. "Playoff bound for the #23 team, so proud of the efforts. What a stressful week it's been. What a day... Didn't have the car, I knew that from the rip but we just needed luck to fall our way and it did. Honored to be a part of 2023 playoffs."

There will be no time to rest for Bubba Wallace and the #23 team as the playoff season begins next weekend at Darlington Raceway.

"Off day tomorrow, and back to work on Monday. Darlington's coming up, we know what we can do there and it's the first round so let's get after it."

Heading into the playoffs, Wallace will have a tough time advancing into the next rounds as he has zero playoff points. However, he has always picked up momentum in the latter stages of the season. Both of his Cup Series victories have come during this point of the season.

Having made it to the top 16, Wallace and the rest of the drivers head to Darlington Raceway for the Cook Out Southern 500 on September 3.

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Bubba Wallace is proud to be in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs

Ever since making his full-time Cup Series debut in 2018, Bubba Wallace has made it to the playoffs for the first time. He is relieved after advancing into the playoffs as he recounts the stressful week he had before the regular season finale.

Bubba Wallace post Coke Zero Sugar 400 race

"That was the most stressed but also the most locked in I've ever been," he said post-race.

Wallace made it to the top 16 in his third year with 23XI Racing. Team owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan congratulated him as soon as he got out of his car, saying:

"Proud to be locked into the Playoffs. 23XI, 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."

The #23 team missed out on advancing into the owner playoffs as Chase Elliott's #9 team beat them on points.