Bubba Wallace fell short of making the 2024 Cup Series playoffs despite a strong effort. Wallace, who started from the pole position and secured second place in the first stage for nine valuable points, kept a top-10 position throughout much of the race. With Darlington being a must-win situation, Wallace needed to either win or significantly outplace Chris Buescher, trailing him by 21 points. For a brief moment, Wallace closed the gap to just two points.
Unfortunately, a caution flag for Hocevar’s spin disrupted his progress, and another yellow flag near the race’s end forced Wallace into the middle of the pack, where he got caught in a crash with 23 laps left. He finished 16th, and even if he had finished ahead of Buescher, a new race winner would have pushed him out of contention. Chase Briscoe took the win, leaving both Wallace and Buescher out of the playoffs.
Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, expressed pride in Wallace’s effort but was ultimately disappointed with the outcome. He acknowledged Wallace’s fight throughout the race and praised the team’s overall performance. However, Jordan, who always strives for perfection, remains unsatisfied. He emphasized that Wallace still has opportunities ahead, urging continued improvement and a push for victory in future races. Jordan’s message is clear: complacency isn’t an option, and the focus must be on continuous growth and striving for greatness.
