Bubba Wallace was wrapped in a warm embrace by 23XI Racing team co-owner Michael Jordan after securing a top-10 finish at the Bank of America Roval 400.
Despite missing out on the 2024 Cup Series playoffs by just 27 points, Wallace‘s bond with his boss appears unshaken. Last year, Wallace had been part of the playoff action but didn’t make it past the round of eight. His playoff hopes were dashed this season when he crashed during the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway with only 23 laps remaining.
Since that setback, the 31-year-old driver bounced back, achieving a ninth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, much to the delight of basketball legend Jordan. Meanwhile, Wallace’s teammate Tyler Reddick kept his playoff dreams alive, finishing 11th at the Roval 400 after an on-track incident with Jordan’s 23XI Racing co-owner, Denny Hamlin.
Post-race, Jordan, the former NBA superstar, went to pit road to check on his business partner Hamlin and Reddick following their clash. The trio shared smiles and an embrace as they discussed the day’s events.
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Jordan also took the time to congratulate Wallace on his impressive performance, telling him, “You’re turning into a road racer now, you did great, man. All day.”
Racing fans were buzzing over the dynamic duo’s performance, with one Twitter user exclaiming: “Man oh man watching how you’ve improved on road courses is incredible! Wins coming soon!” Another fan celebrated a standout week for the driver, tweeting: “New kid. Praise from the boss. Good week Bubba!”
Post-race, Hamlin opened up about the unexpected tangle with Reddick, revealing: “It hurt the car, it knocked some out of alignment in the rear.”
Michael Jordan’s passion for 23XI Racing was undeniable after the race (
Getty)
He continued: “My steering wheel went from being straight to at 3 o’clock. It certainly had a detrimental outcome to my car but certainly, Chris did a great job with his adjustments to compensate for the handling that bent toelink did. Just great job by the team, we survived and now we can race.”
Meanwhile, Reddick offered his perspective on the dramatic moment, confessing he feared his car might flip after the clash, saying: “I think I was behind the No. 19 [Martin Truex Jr.] just trying to work the move to the inside.”
He added: “I got clear of him – I saw the No. 3 [Dillon] spun and everybody was on the binders coming to a stop. Of course, me and my boss [Hamlin] get together. Felt like I was gonna do a front flip – this thing was absolutely destroyed.”
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