[autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] failed to win for the first time since 2020 but the 2023 NASCAR season may have been his best yet. Wallace finished the year with five top-5 finishes and 10 top-10 finishes, which match his career highs. Unfortunately for the driver of the No. 23 car, he was eliminated in the Round of 12 and wasn’t able to advance further in his playoff debut.
Most notably, Wallace came close to winning in the Round of 12 at Texas Motor Speedway but was passed by William Byron late in the event. Ultimately, it led to his playoff elimination. Wallace closed out the campaign with 285 laps led (11th best) and a 15.9 average finishing position (15th best); however, it was the Round of 12 that ended his title hopes.
Repost to congratulate Bubba Wallace on his NASCAR Cup Series POLE at Texas Motor Speedway!@23XIRacing | @Jumpman23 https://t.co/7iUWY5dW5P pic.twitter.com/rqf7GJsdMs
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 23, 2023
The 23XI Racing driver was already lacking playoff points and a third-place finish at Texas was his only shot. Wallace didn’t finish in the top 15 spots over the final two Round of 12 events and failed to make it to the Round of 8. Yet, it was still a successful year as he earned his first NASCAR Cup Series playoff berth as a driver.
Now, Wallace needs to take a step to the next level. He needs to win a race and make it to the Round of 8 to further his development. Either way, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Wallace ran very well near the end of the season. The driver of the No. 23 car showed pretty good speed and could be on the verge of a true breakout sooner rather than later.
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