Bubba Wallace was breathing down the back bumper of race leader Ryan Blaney in the waning circuits of Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire. As Blaney tried to navigate lap traffic, the driver of the No. 23 was putting pressure.
Yet, with five laps remaining, Wallace locked up the brakes entering turn 3, which cost him some ground. While he maintained a respectable distance after the miscue, Wallace was forced to settle for runner-up at “The Magic Mile.”
Despite falling short of a victory, the top-five run was huge for the 23XI Racing driver. Wallace secured his first top-five finish since the San Diego Street Course back in mid-June.
The finish also gave the three-time NASCAR Cup Series winner a points buffer entering the final race before The Chase next Saturday at Daytona.
Bubba Wallace reflects on runner-up finish: ‘We fought’Wallace had his work cut out for him on Sunday in Loudon as he started from the 23rd position.
As the race progressed, the Alabama native chipped away at the field lap by lap and ultimately put himself in position to notch his fourth career NASCAR Cup Series win. Although he came up short, Wallace knew it was a hard-fought day for the 23XI Racing team.
During his post-race interview with USA Network, Wallace credited his team for believing in him and sticking with him through the highs and lows. While it does not always work out for Wallace, the 32-year-old appreciates the support system behind him.
“We fought, man. Had a nice day just by myself, regrouping and got the head right and knew I had to fight all day and that’s what it takes. Where it starts is with these people on this 23 team. They push me to be the absolute best and I fail on them a lot, but they stick behind me and it’s super cool. I appreciate that,” Wallace said.
Wallace recorded his best finish at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, with his previous best effort being third in July 2022. It was Wallace’s fourth top-five finish and 11th top-10 finish of the 2026 campaign.
Bubba Wallace gains ground over The Chase cut line with one race leftEntering Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301, Wallace ranked 14th in the points standings with a 70-point cushion over The Chase cutoff.
With a strong second-place result at “The Magic Mile,” Wallace put a slight barrier over himself and the cut line entering the final race of the regular season next Saturday at Daytona. Wallace remains 14th in the standings, but has a 75-point advantage over Ryan Preece, the first driver below the cutoff.
The maximum points a driver can earn in a Cup Series race is 75. Given his 75-point edge over the cutoff, it would take a disastrous Daytona race as well as a huge points day for Preece for Wallace to miss out on this year’s 10-race Chase.
In the previous format, Wallace made two appearances in the playoffs in 2023 and 2025. His best points finish was 10th in 2023.
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