Wallace Keeps Climbing With Bristol Night Race Podium

Bubba Wallace (23) battled to finish third Saturday in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. (Danny Hansen/NKP for Toyota Racing photo)

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The recent wave of momentum for Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 23XI Racing team continued to grow Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

After a multi-year contract extension for the Mobile, Ala., driver was announced on Wednesday, the good times didn’t stop, as Wallace wheeled the No. 23 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE to a third-place finish at Bristol in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race – despite not being in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

Wallace was best among the non-championship competitors and, had a caution waved late in the race, looked like he could have had a shot to play spoiler to Kyle Larson’s dominance.

“It was a good day,” said Wallace after the race. “Didn’t really think we were a third-place car, but we just battled. We stayed in it all together. Our Mobil 1 Toyota Camry was OK. [We tried] to make do and tr[ied] to keep pace. We definitely couldn’t run hard at the beginning, so I changed up some technique stuff and [that] gave us a long run chance.

“With about 20 to go I was [thinking] ‘it [is not going to] play out in our favor’ and thank God it did.”

The top-five run further added to Wallace’s career year, marking his sixth top five and 11th top 10 of 2024 – the best of his career in both categories.

“All in all, [it was a] good day, a good top five,” he noted before remarking light-heartedly, ‘Hey our stats say [this is] our best year, yeah! Now we’re sixth and 11th; six top fives [and] 11 top 10s.’

It was a statement that quietly showed his frustration over barely missing the playoffs.

“[It was a] good day, though, a good day.”

The 23XI driver now turns his attention to the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway, a race he won in 2022.

“I hope so,” said Wallace when asked if he can use his recent surge to return to victory lane next week.

“Really looking forward to Kansas, actually looking forward to seeing baby mama at home, she’s ready to pop,” he added, referencing wife Amanda, who is expecting the couple’s first child next month.

To see Wallace, the Cup Series playoff drivers and the other stars of stock car racing back in action, tune in to the Hollywood Casino 400 presented by ESPN BET at Kansas on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 3 pm ET, live on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.