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- Year 2 for Bubba Wallace with 23XI racing got off to a rough start, but he is starting to peak when he needs it most.
- We spoke with Wallace about being in a must-win situation to secure a spot in the playoffs for the first time and why there is reason for optimism.
- If Wallace can get that elusive win, a lucky fan will also cash in, thanks to his partnership with MoneyLion.
Before Bubba Wallace signed on to be 23XI Racing's first driver, he had a surprise conversation with co-owner Michael Jordan who had a blunt message.
"Denny calls me and says, 'What are you doing?'," Wallace said. "'I said, 'Just sitting here on the couch.' He said, 'Here's somebody who wants to talk to you.' [in a deeper voice] 'Hey, man. If we do this deal, there is no more running in the back.' And I was like, 'Oh, that's MJ! Oh, hey, man. How are you doing?!'"
There was no more running in the back as Wallace picked up his first career win in 2022 and had just as many top-fives (3) as he had in his first three full seasons combined.
However, things seemingly took a step back to start Year 2 with 23XI Racing. After a second-place showing at the season-opening Daytona 500, Wallace cracked the top 10 just once in the next 18 races, and that was P10 in Kansas. While Wallace and the car showed good speed, his season went off the rails thanks to a lot of bad luck and struggles on pit road.
While there is seemingly not much the team could do about luck except hope it starts to even out, they could do something about the pit crew. Following a disastrous race at Road America, the team shook up the pit crew, swapping two members with Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (the two teams work closely together).
So far, it seems to be working. Wallace has two top 10s in the next three races, including a P3 in New Hampshire, and even the luck seems to be getting better.
"The speed that we've shown the last couple weeks has been the same speed," Wallace told Insider before the Indianapolis race. "It's not a little bit better than all year, but I mean, it's just a matter of putting races together and executing. So we're able to do that, able to get the finishes that we deserve now."
—Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) July 17, 2022
However, Wallace is also running out of time to salvage the season.
With just five races to go in the regular season, Wallace sits in 21st place on points and needs a win to get into the playoffs for the first time.
Still, there is plenty of reason for optimism.
While two of the next five races are on road courses, where Wallace has struggled, he also gets shots at Michigan, Richmond, and, most importantly, Daytona.
Wallace has four top-fives in 10 career races at Daytona, including three second-place finishes. Wallace also has his only career win on another superspeedway in Talladega. He also led laps there earlier this year and had a shot at a second win on the final lap before a wreck ended his chances.
"We know we're in a must-win situation, but we have some good opportunities coming up with Michigan, Richmond, and Daytona," Wallace told Insider. "Still looking forward to this weekend, not counting this weekend out. Every weekend is an opportunity. But definitely highlighting the ones that we know we'd have some success at."
Bubba has some extra motivation thanks to MoneyLion
David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Not that Wallace needs any extra incentive to pick up that much-needed win, but if he does, fans can also win thanks to his partnership with MoneyLion and how they are helping people with their gas tanks as prices soar.
Through the end of the NASCAR season, MoneyLion users can comment on the weekly "Get Pumped Tuesday" MoneyLion Twitter post with their unique MoneyLion handle to enter for a chance to win $500 for a month of gas. The two winners each week will also get their handle featured on either of 23XI Racings's cars, driven by Wallace and his teammate Kurt Busch during that week's race.
More importantly, if Wallace or Busch win that week's race, the user on their car wins an additional $10,000 (Additional details can be found HERE).
"It's been a great partnership," Wallace told Insider. "They're, they're changing the game on everything about money and financial literacy and making it easy for people that don't really know where to start with money, making it easy just to log into their app and get all the basic one-on-ones of how to handle your own money and make more money and make the most of it.
"It's been really cool to help promote that and also give a chance to win money, to give back to the community, feeling like when I win, they win."
Busch already has the win he needs for the playoffs. If Bubba can pick up one for himself, he can salvage his season and put some extra money in the pocket of one fan.
As NASCAR playoffs loom, Bubba Wallace needs a win but has reason for optimism
Source: Kalayaan News
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