Bubba Wallace Unable To Sustain Qualifying Pace To Secure Playoff Bid
3 months agoBubba Wallace put himself in a great position to win his way into the playoffs after winning the pole for Sunday's Southern 500, but after Kyle Larson beat him out of the pits on the first green-flag pit cycle, Wallace was never really a contender for the win afterward and slowly fell through the pack before getting caught up in the multi-car pileup on Lap 344 and eventually finishing 16th. Chase Briscoe's win ended up eliminating all the playoff bubble drivers, but although the case can be made that Wallace had one of the 16 best seasons this year, he isn't the biggest playoff snub, as Ross Chastain, Kyle Busch, and Chris Buescher probably all had better seasons when considering the level of their equipment. Nonetheless, Wallace remains a solid performer, and it should come as no surprise if he bounces back and makes the playoffs again in 2025.
Source: Racing Reference
Source: Racing Reference