Bubba Wallace Claims Darlington Pole, Excluded from NASCAR Playoffs

Bubba Wallace boosted his playoff hopes by clinching the pole position for the Southern 500, paving the way for a strategic race this Sunday. The 23XI Racing driver achieved his first pole of the 2024 season with a blistering lap at 167.146 mph around the storied Darlington Raceway, surpassing Carson Hocevar, who came in at 167.010 mph.

Wallace’s performance this summer has been impressive, as he secured top-10 finishes in four of the last five races. However, he knows that a victory is crucial to solidifying his place in the playoffs. Wallace expressed that, despite not feeling additional pressure this time around, he is eager to taste victory once more.

“From a bigger picture, I’m stressed about being winless in almost two seasons,” Wallace remarked. He emphasized that this situation feels less burdensome compared to the stress he experienced in previous races, such as Daytona last year or during the Bristol elimination race. Wallace appears more focused this time heading into what he hopes will be a successful race.

As the countdown to the regular-season finale begins, Wallace currently stands 17th in the standings, trailing Chris Buescher, another driver from the 2023 playoffs, by 21 points. Buescher qualified in 10th place and, if no new winner emerges from the race, he is favorably positioned to qualify on points alone.

Buescher himself is acutely aware that securing a win on Sunday would offer him the best chance to continue in the championship chase. “I’ve been really close in a lot of races, but haven’t sealed the deal,” he admitted, recognizing the stakes at play.

Meanwhile, two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch finds himself in a season fraught with challenges, as he seeks to break into the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive year. Winning the Southern 500 is now his only path to keeping that streak alive.

Busch reflected on the frustration of the year, stating, “Every week, it just kind of seems like, ‘OK, what’s next?'” He suffered a narrow defeat at Daytona last week, losing a fierce battle to Harrison Burton on the final lap. Currently, he sits 19th on the playoff grid, a significant 106 points outside a qualifying position, making a victory at Darlington imperative.

Despite these setbacks, Busch is determined to maintain focus in this crucial race. “You can use that as a distraction or a motivation tool,” he suggested, expressing his intent to channel frustrations into a drive for victory. He does not underestimate the difficulty of competing at Darlington, where he previously finished seventh in May 2023—a notable improvement since switching teams from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing.

For Ross Chastain, another driver without a win this season, the stakes are equally high. With a successful past two years featuring four victories, Chastain started the Southern 500 from the 22nd position and admitted to being surprised by his winless status this season.

Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 series champion, is currently the leading driver in points without a win in the playoffs. With a 58-point cushion above the cutoff, he feels relatively secure for now but remains wary. “I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff happen,” he noted, illustrating the unpredictable nature of the sport.

The top five qualifiers for Sunday’s race include Chase Briscoe, Kyle Larson, and Truex. However, the race for the playoff positions isn’t the only competition at Darlington. Points leader Tyler Reddick holds just a 17-point edge over Larson in the quest for the regular-season title, which comes with 15 bonus playoff points. The driver finishing second in the standings will receive 10 bonus points.

Both Reddick and Larson have affirmed their approach to the race will hinge on their own performance rather than tracking each other. Reddick stated, “Coming at a place like this, it’s pretty much in our control,” while Larson, who has led 785 laps at Darlington and triumphed in the Southern 500 last year, echoed confidence in their capability.

As the racers prepare for this significant showdown, all eyes will be on Darlington, where the anticipation of playoff implications and potential victories hangs in the air.

Source: Associated Press