Bubba Wallace optimistic about Daytona 500 prospects, seeing positive indicators for a strong run.

The 66th running of the Daytona 500 is fast approaching, and Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, expressed a palpable sense of optimism regarding his chances in NASCAR’s crown jewel event. Having already secured a victory in one of NASCAR’s four major "crown jewel" races—the 2025 Brickyard 400, where he triumphed over Kyle Larson—Wallace is now setting his sights on adding the iconic Harley J. Earl Trophy to his career achievements.

Wallace, a prominent figure in the NASCAR Cup Series, has a history of strong performances at superspeedways, including a previous win at Talladega Superspeedway, Daytona’s sister track, in 2021. His Daytona 500 record is particularly noteworthy, having finished as the runner-up on two occasions. His debut in the 2018 Daytona 500 saw him secure a second-place finish, and he repeated this feat in 2022. The 2022 race was especially dramatic, with Wallace coming agonizingly close to victory, finishing just 0.036 seconds behind race winner Austin Cindric after a side-by-side battle to the checkered flag.

As Wallace prepares for his ninth start in the Daytona 500, he shared his confidence during the event’s Media Day, indicating that he is receiving positive "signs" for the upcoming race weekend. "I feel really good about it," Wallace stated, a noticeable smile accompanying his words. "Getting a lot of signs that it’s going to be a good weekend, so don’t ask me what said signs were, but they were good ones. I feel good about our chances. We’ve obviously grown and matured as a team from last year and from the start of 23XI and the start of the 23 team. We’ve grown in a lot of spots. To come into this year more confident and more focused. We just have to dot our I’s and cross our T’s, I think I say that every year here at Daytona 500 media day. We just have to put it all together."

Wallace attributed this heightened confidence, in part, to the evolving synergy within his 23XI Racing team. He highlighted the importance of improved communication and mutual trust among team members, emphasizing that these elements continue to strengthen over time. "Just the communication, you feel more confident in each other and that continues to evolve and grow over the years," Wallace commented. "It doesn’t matter if it’s Year 1 or Year 20, you learn something new about the people you work with every day. It’s just being more comfortable and putting that all together."

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The 23XI Racing organization, co-owned by NASCAR legend Denny Hamlin and NBA superstar Michael Jordan, has demonstrated consistent growth and competitiveness since its inception. In the 2024 season, the team achieved a significant milestone by reaching the Championship 4 and securing the regular season title with driver Tyler Reddick. This success underscored the team’s capability to compete at the highest level, challenging the established "Big 3" teams of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske. Last season, 23XI Racing was one of only four teams outside of these traditional powerhouses to have their drivers visit Victory Lane.

Wallace believes that 23XI Racing is on a trajectory to further disrupt the established order in NASCAR. He articulated this ambition during the media session, stating, "We want to put our name in that category, and they are really passionate about that. We had a great leadership meeting a couple weeks ago that emphasized on a lot of key notes and it was a big reflection of all of us in that room. So just high expectations. It starts with waking up with the right attitude and being present and being on time and giving it your all every day. How can you be better than the previous day. It’s understanding that mindset and adapting to that is going to be huge for us. Just keep pushing."

He acknowledged the demanding nature of the sport and the long-standing dominance of the premier teams, but remained steadfast in his team’s potential. "This sport is really hard, the big three have been around for awhile. Key people come and go and they insert their philosophies. We are still growing but we’ve already done some pretty cool things in a short amount of time and we have to keep pushing for more.”

The 2026 Daytona 500 marks the beginning of the NASCAR Cup Series season, a high-stakes event that often sets the tone for the remainder of the year. Wallace’s confidence, coupled with the demonstrated progress of 23XI Racing, positions him as a strong contender. His history at Daytona International Speedway, where he has consistently run at the front and narrowly missed victory, suggests that he possesses the skill and the equipment to contend for the win. The team’s focus on continuous improvement and Wallace’s personal drive to achieve his first Daytona 500 victory create a compelling narrative as the green flag approaches. The ability of Wallace and his team to execute flawlessly throughout the demanding 500-mile race will be crucial in translating their positive outlook into a tangible result.

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