Bubba Wallace Has Honest Reaction To Battling For Playoff Spot

06/30/2024 12:28 PM

Bubba Wallace begins Sunday's Ally 400 vying for NASCAR Cup Series playoff position.

Ahead of the race at Nashville Superspeedway, Wallace trails Joey Logano by 13 points for the 16th and final playoff spot. A year after earning his first career postseason berth, the 23XI Racing driver has eight remaining races to cement a return.

On Sunday, via Box Pockrass of Fox Sports, Wallace said "a little bit of both" speed and handling have contributed to a 2024 dropoff. 

"I've tried to come into this year way more prepared than I have been," Wallace said. "Studying more film, being more attentive in the meetings, asking, I would think more of the right questions, but just asking more questions in general. It's hard, man. We're fighting for thousandths of an inch."

Wallace noted that he's competed against "the best of the best." Despite falling in the standings, the 30-year-old doesn't think he's regressed drastically this year.

"As much as we're off -- it's not much -- but it's just enough to keep us working hard and trying to find out what it is to get us back to how we ran last year," he said.

Wallace started the year by finishing fifth at the Daytona 500 and Atlanta in consecutive weeks, but he's placed outside the top 10 in five straight events. A wreck ended his race last Sunday at New Hampshire, causing him to accrue just three points at 34th place.

Wallace will try to gain ground in the playoff battle at Nashville. Sunday's Cup Series race starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

Related: Denny Hamlin Has Brutally Honest Take On Bubba Wallace's Playoff Chances