[autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] entered the Charlotte ROVAL with a nine-point deficit to the playoff cut-line and it was simply too much to overcome. Wallace had a really fast car but a mistake in the strategy battle at the end of Stage 1 put the team behind the proverbial eight ball. The driver of the No. 23 car was unable to make up enough ground and eventually finished in 16th place.
Wallace still had a successful playoff run as he was able to advance out of the Round of 12 in his first postseason appearance. Following the race at the Charlotte ROVAL, Wallace talked about his weekend and being eliminated from the 2023 NASCAR playoffs in the Round of 12.
“This weekend was incredible,” Wallace said. “Just from the effort from the team and from myself. Just all clicking, right? And it felt really good to be competitive and run upfront, pass cars on road courses and not be passed…It is what it is. Just didn’t have enough and it wasn’t in the cards…I’m pumped for our season. It’s not over yet.”
Take another look at @WilliamByron's pass for the win! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Ref5Nw5lQe
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 24, 2023
“I’m really excited for next week and Homestead and Martinsville. Phoenix, eh, I might just go on vacation. But we’ve still got four races to go out and do it. We weren’t supposed to be here according to a lot of people, but we proved them wrong and then proved a lot of people in the garage wrong that you can’t really count on the No. 23 at a road course race.”
Wallace may not have advanced to the Round of 8 but this will undoubtedly be a learning experience. It was the 23XI Racing driver’s first true taste of the playoffs and it will help him moving forward. It will be interesting to see how Wallace responds over the next four weeks and whether the No. 23 team can close out the 2023 NASCAR season with a victory.
[lawrence-related id=2218]