Tag: Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace to run new U.S. Air Force paint scheme at Phoenix

Bubba Wallace will run his new U.S. Air Force paint scheme at Phoenix Raceway. Take a look at Wallace’s new scheme for his No. 23 car!

[autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] announced during the offseason that [autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] would be sponsored by the U.S. Air Force in 2024. It was a reunion for Wallace, who was sponsored by the Air Force during his time in the No. 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports. On Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway, Wallace will carry the U.S. Air Force on a new paint scheme revealed by 23XI Racing.

The No. 23 car has a gray and blue base, which blends well with the Air Force logo on the hood. Overall, Wallace’s ride for Phoenix Raceway looks very sharp as 23XI Racing continues to release fantastic paint schemes for their drivers. The U.S. Air Force will sponsor Wallace at multiple races in 2024, including Phoenix.

The U.S. Air Force hopes Wallace will make them proud on Sunday as Phoenix Raceway is not among his best tracks. In the four Phoenix races with the NextGen car, Wallace has a best finish of 10th place and only two top-20 finishes. The good thing is that Wallace has improved in every race, and 23XI Racing hopes that improvement takes them to victory lane.

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Bubba Wallace talks about Rajah Caruth’s historic win at Las Vegas in 2024

Bubba Wallace talks about Rajah Caruth’s historic win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024. Find out what Wallace had to say about Caruth!

[autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] has been a friend and mentor for [autotag]Rajah Caruth[/autotag] throughout his career, and his work finally paid off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Caruth took his No. 71 Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet to victory lane after winning the pole at Las Vegas earlier in the day. It was a popular victory as Caruth has been humble throughout his young career.

Following the Spire Motorsports driver’s victory, Wallace spoke to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver about the win and how he felt watching the race unfold. The 23XI Racing driver’s nerves turned into excitement when he realized Caruth would win the event.

“I got nervous with about, what 28 to go after final pit stops, I found myself, my fists were clinched. I’m like, ‘That’s weird, relax,’ and then 15 to go, sitting on the couch like super zoned in,” Wallace said. “10 to go, I got up, and that’s where I was. I just didn’t want [Rajah Caruth] to get ahead of himself. He had such a massive lead, and you could see him start to give it up a little bit, but that was more so him having a two-second lead and not needing to make a mistake.”

“I was really proud of that. [Tyler Ankrum] was closing in, but I was sure he was saving his stuff, and once he took the white, like, a sigh of relief. Once he made it through 3 and 4, home free, and that was really cool.”

It certainly was really cool as Wallace’s wife, Amanda, posted a video showing his reaction when Caruth took the checkered flag. It was a great moment for everyone involved as the 21-year-old driver finally captured his first NASCAR race. For Wallace, he hopes to have his moment at Phoenix Raceway next weekend with Caruth watching him in the same way.

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NASCAR releases Corey LaJoie, Bubba Wallace’s cars with no penalty after Daytona

NASCAR has released Corey LaJoie and Bubba Wallace’s cars from R&D Center with no penalties following the Daytona 500.

The 2024 NASCAR season is underway, which means the sport is making sure no teams or drivers have a competitive advantage. Following the 2024 Daytona 500, NASCAR revealed that it would take [autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag] and [autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag]’s cars back to the R&D Center. The best news is no news, and for the two drivers, that is what they found out on Thursday morning.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, LaJoie and Wallace’s cars that were taken to the R&D Center after Daytona had no issues. Therefore, no penalties will be assessed for the two drivers. LaJoie had a competitive car that finished in fourth place, while Wallace showed less speed but still finished in fifth place in the Daytona 500.

LaJoie hopes the great start to the 2024 NASCAR season is a sign of what’s to come. Spire Motorsports is upgrading its operations across all levels. Meanwhile, Wallace hopes to win a race in 2024 after a winless season. Both drivers can be competitive, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see that continue at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.

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23XI Racing reveals Bubba Wallace’s new MoneyLion paint scheme for 2024

23XI Racing reveals Bubba Wallace’s new MoneyLion paint scheme for 2024. Check out Wallace’s new look with MoneyLion!

The 2024 NASCAR season is officially underway, and [autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] has a good start under his belt. In the Daytona 500, Wallace didn’t show the speed he displayed in the qualifying duels but ended with a fifth-place finish. The driver of the No. 23 car sits fifth in the point standings to begin the year. Now, Wallace has another good development with a sponsor.

On Tuesday night, [autotag]23XI Racing[/autotag] revealed Wallace’s new MoneyLion paint scheme for the 2024 season. The car features a single-colored base with a black number and lettering. The design is not as detailed as the MoneyLion paint scheme from the 2023 season, but the simple look still makes the No. 23 car appear sharp.

MoneyLion hopes Wallace’s good run at the end of the 2023 regular season and the start of the playoffs continues into the new year. In fact, Wallace’s good start at the Daytona 500 brings hopes that a winless season in 2023 can turn into a successful 2024. Wallace seeks to bring speed to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, looking for his first victory of the season.

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Bubba Wallace drove off track before finish at 2024 Busch Light Clash

Bubba Wallace drove off the track and didn’t finish after spinning out on the final lap of the Busch Light Clash. Watch Wallace drive off!

[autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] showed solid speed in his 2024 NASCAR debut at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. Wallace ran in the top 10 spots and entered the final lap in a competitive battle with Kyle Larson for fifth place. However, the 23XI Racing driver didn’t finish in the top 5 spots after Larson spun him out in the final corner.

Wallace ended up finishing in 12th place, but based on a video from the race track on the final lap, there is more to the story. According to the video, Wallace never finished the race after spinning out because he pulled into the tunnel instead. Despite the competitors passing him, the driver of the No. 23 car still managed to finish in 12th place because the others were one lap down.

It is an unofficial race and doesn’t count toward the point standings, so nothing is truthfully affected by not finishing. Instead, Wallace joked on social media after the race and seemed confused about how he finished in 12th place despite not crossing the line. It was a humorous ending to a chaotic day of racing, and Wallace hopes to actually cross the line at the Daytona 500 in under two weeks.

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NASCAR’s Wallace, Nemechek set for Pilot Challenge Supra

NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and John Hunter Nemechek will make their IMSA debuts later this month in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series at Daytona International Speedway. The Toyota NASCAR representatives will share a Smooge Racing …

NASCAR Cup Series drivers Bubba Wallace and John Hunter Nemechek will make their IMSA debuts later this month in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series at Daytona International Speedway.

The Toyota NASCAR representatives will share a Smooge Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO in the four-hour contest set for Friday, January 26, the day prior to IMSA’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. The duo will share the No. 23 Supra with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Corey Heim.

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“We are very excited to run two GR Supra GT4 EVOs at Daytona this year,” said team principal Kevin Conway, who drives the sister No. 68 GR Supra with John Geesbreght and Corey Lewis.

“Having Bubba, John Hunter and Corey in the 23 car is a major honor and testament to Smooge Racing, I’m also looking forward to racing with John Geesbreght and Corey Lewis in the PRAX Leadership GR Supra. John and I have had a lot of success together and we are looking forward to building on that at Daytona.”

Air Force to sponsor Bubba Wallace during 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season

23XI Racing announced on Tuesday morning that Bubba Wallace will be sponsored by the U.S. Air Force for multiple races in 2024.

[autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] and the United States Air Force have reunited in the NASCAR Cup Series. On Tuesday morning, 23XI Racing announced that the Air Force will become a primary sponsor for Wallace and the No. 23 team starting in 2024. The sponsor will be on the No. 23 car for multiple races during the season.

Wallace was sponsored by the Air Force for eight Cup Series races from 2018-20, when he spent time at Richard Petty Motorsports, now known as Legacy Motor Club. The organization has also indicated that the paint scheme and firesuit designs will be released at a later date. It will also hold at-track events for Airmen across the country in 2024.

This is a massive development for 23XI Racing, as the Air Force has been in NASCAR for a long time. Wallace has improved over the years, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him eventually bring the sponsor to victory lane. Now, the wait is underway for Wallace’s car design, as the Air Force’s paint schemes have been great in the past.

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Bubba Wallace’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season in review

Bubba Wallace had a pretty solid year with 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Here, you can check out Wallace’s 2023 season in review!

[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.

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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Bubba Wallace and Mark Hamill unveil Star Wars-themed paint scheme for NASCAR season finale

Gotta love a Star Wars-themed NASCAR paint scheme.

Bubba Wallace’s paint scheme for the last race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is straight out of a galaxy far, far away.

With the help of Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, Wallace unveiled the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota’s final paint scheme of the season for Sunday’s championship event at Phoenix Raceway — though Wallace and the No. 23 team were previously eliminated from contention. And it’s an awesome silver and black Star Wars-themed ride with strong Millennium Falcon vibes.

Highlighting sponsor Columbia’s new Star Wars collection, Wallace shows up to Hamill’s door in the reveal video, dressed in a fire suit resembling the design of X-wing pilot suits from the franchise, including a look Hamill wore as Luke Skywalker. Hamill compliments Wallace’s outfit before tossing him the “keys” to the No. 23 Toyota.

“Remember, Bubba, the force will be with you — always,” Hamill says at the end.

A great paint scheme reveal, especially for Star Wars fans, who might be a bit jealous of this car’s look, including self-described aspiring Jedi Ryan Blaney.

Update: Wallace’s 23XI Racing teammate, Tyler Reddick, has a Star Wars-inspired ride too.

Wallace tops Homestead-Miami practice

Bubba Wallace was the fastest overall in NASCAR Cup Series practice on Saturday morning at Homestead-Miami Speedway in his purple Grimace machine. Wallace’s fastest lap was 169.088 mph (31.936 seconds) and came on his first lap on the track. He was …

Bubba Wallace was the fastest overall in NASCAR Cup Series practice on Saturday morning at Homestead-Miami Speedway in his purple Grimace machine.

Wallace’s fastest lap was 169.088 mph (31.936 seconds) and came on his first lap on the track. He was among the first group of drivers to participate in practice. The 23XI Racing driver was also fastest in the best 10 consecutive lap average.

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“It’s good,” Wallace said. “I think the race is like 300 laps or something, so we’ve got to be fast for all of them. But the Grimace Toyota Camry TRD looks really good. Runs really good. I think the driver just has to show up and play really good tomorrow. So, it feels good to be back in Miami. I forgot how fun this place was.”

Wallace did not compete in the event at Homestead-Miami Speedway last season. After hooking Kyle Larson in the right rear the week before at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Wallace was suspended for one race.

Austin Cindric was second fastest at 167.999 mph and Ryan Blaney was third fastest at 167.764 mph. Christopher Bell was fourth fastest at 167.650 mph with Michael McDowell was fifth fastest at 167.468 mph.

Martin Truex Jr. was sixth fastest at 167.364 mph, ahead of Denny Hamlin in seventh at 167.152 mph. Tyler Reddick was eighth fastest at 166.935 mph, with Brad Keselowski at 166.770 mph and Chase Briscoe at 166.744 mph completing the top 10.

Kyle Larson, who is already locked into the Championship 4, was 17th fastest, while William Byron was 21st fastest and Chris Buescher, the slowest playoff driver in practice, was 32nd.

There was one incident in practice – Joey Logano clocked in 11th fastest overall before spinning off Turn 2 and hitting the inside wall on the backstretch. The Penske driver will go to a backup car for Sunday’s race and not make a qualifying lap.

“I was stuck in dirty air the whole run and I went to the bottom to try to pass Reddick and just lost it,” Logano said. “Just coming off the corner was throttling up and seemed everything was OK, and it just snapped around really late. It was kind of weird and surprised how late it happened.

“It’s a bummer. I thought we had a pretty good Shell/Pennzoil Mustang from the lap time perspective, and even being in traffic I thought we were decent. But we’ll have to pull out the backup and hopefully, it’s just as good.”

There are 36 drivers entered in the 4EVER 400 at Homestead.