Bubba Wallace had a harsh critique of himself after his third-place finish in the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Wallace’s P3 finish for 23XI Racing was a good start to the Round of 12 of the Cup Series playoffs. But the driver of the No. 23 Toyota felt he should have captured the checkered flag.
Wallace started from P1, led 111 laps (more than anyone else) and was in position to win the race. But he blew it on a restart on Lap 262 of 267. He chose the outside lane and ended up getting passed by William Byron and Ross Chastain, resulting in his third-place finish.
“I’m just upset with myself. (We) really needed a win there. It’s a good showing. I don’t know where that puts us, don’t really care. I did what I did and I choked,” Wallace said in an interview with NBC after the race.
"I'm just upset with myself. (We) really needed a win there. It's a good showing. I don't know where that puts us, but I don't really care. I did what I did and I choked."
– Bubba Wallace shouldering his P3 finish today at Texas. pic.twitter.com/CNgrfNYcwF
— Always Race Day (@AlwaysRaceDay) September 24, 2023
While Byron won the race and has advanced to the Round of 8, Wallace is still behind Kyle Larson for the final spot in the next round.
William Byron’s in the Round of 8!
Kyle Larson holds the final spot in the next round by two points over Bubba Wallace. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/WvBecgSHjz
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 24, 2023
Finishing P3 vs. winning the race is the difference from clinching a spot in the next round and not. Wallace knows he could have ddone more and just missed it.
