Bubba Wallace: “…I just want to get back to having fun.”

How does Bubba Wallace feel about being on the bubble just three races away from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs?

“…I just want to get back to having fun.”

Sitting 58 points above the cutline, not as excited as some may think.

“I’m a damn good person overthinking things, especially when it comes to road course racing, taking the fun right out of it.”

– Bubba Wallace

Wallace’s point is understandable, as he has yet to make the playoffs since he started running full-time in the Cup Series in 2018. The 29-year-old’s highest finish in the championship is a 19th-place finish at the conclusion of 2022, despite a win apiece in both ’21 and ’22.

He’s also leaning on his 23XI teammate Tyler Reddick, who has excelled on road courses over the past few seasons, to see where he can improve, specifically Indianapolis and Watkins Glen, the two road courses that make up the next two races on the schedule. Wallace explained that he has spent a lot of time on the simulator recently, trying to figure out where Reddick gained time against the field.

Credit: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images/Courtesy of NASCAR

But the 23XI driver isn’t preparing for races any differently this close to the playoffs. When asked if the team is doing anything different, Wallace retorted back, asking a journalist whether he prepares differently for playoff races.

He starts 18th for Sunday’s Verizon 200 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.