Spring has indeed sprung for Bubba Wallace, in his career this time. The No. 23 Toyota driver was lingering around the playoff bubble for a while, and Harrison Burton’s win pushed his chances lower. But Darlington finally seems to be yielding to Wallace’s hard-earned efforts after a long wait. And his wife is oozing with happiness, especially with a third family member on the way.
Amanda Carter and Wallace announced the happy news in April that their baby was coming in October. That falls perfectly in line with the 23XI Racing driver’s playoff plans. And Wallace has already laid down his path in that direction.
The joy is too much for Bubba Wallace’s wife
“Spring has sprung. Summer will be rad. Fall is the first time, we’ll be mom and dad!” That is what the Wallace couple posted on social media when their baby plans came out. Indeed, the rad time has set in, and Bubba Wallace grabbed his first pole of the year for the Southern 500. Posting a speed of 167.143 mph, he wheeled the No. 23 Toyota out front to start the 500-miler at the historic 1.366-mile Darlington Raceway. Finally, his 21-point deficit in the playoffs seems on the verge of dissolution.
An emotionally charged Bubba Wallace said in a post-race interview: “Just can’t say enough about this team. It’s a hell of an effort. It’s been an up-and-down year, but we’ve been really hot in the last couple of months or so. Just been executing and firing off on all cylinders. That’s what it takes. I wanted it to be a great weekend, and you got to start on Saturdays. We did that.” And an ecstatic Amanda Carter shared her husband’s happy words on Instagram, captioning: “Right on time, let’s gooooo.”
That was not the end of Carter’s overflowing joy. Bubba Wallace had mentioned to Dale Jr. how pregnancy is affecting the general mood in his house, and tensions are rising. Carter overtly displayed a slice of that experience in her next story caption. Sharing a photo of Wallace holding the Busch Light Pole banner, she wrote: “My hormones are too wild for this. (2x crying emoji) proud of my man.” Beating the defending Southern 500 winner, Kyle Larson, by 0.023 seconds in speed, Wallace dazzled his partner further. She wrote: “No crumbs left.”
As the 23XI Racing couple rejoices in this first step to glory, the road is clear ahead. However, their joy contrasts Bubba Wallace’s immediate rival, Ross Chastain.
Chastain needs a bit of luck
Going into Darlington, Bubba Wallace has two fiery competitors. One is Chris Buescher, currently only 21 points above the playoff cutline. Then there is Ross Chastain, only 6 points behind Wallace. But of the two, Chastain is in a bit of a rough patch. The Trackhouse Racing driver qualified 22nd, way below Wallace in 1st and Buescher in 10th. The drastic tire wear at Darlington also does not make things easier for Chastain, as all teams need to change four tires at all pit stops. And Chastain would need to win to break into the playoffs.
Yet the No. 1 Chevy driver who owns a Craftsman Truck victory this year in May with the Lady in Black, is confident. He claimed his winning ambitions at the post-qualifying presser in Darlington. “I just know that the best way we can ensure it is to win. We’ve had opportunities to win the Southern 500. We’ve had opportunities to win a couple of races in the spring and fall here in a different series. That’s my goal. The math says we can do it either way, but my preparation and my mentality – and it’s been this way in Cup since the very first spring race that I came here in 2021.”
Evidently, the fight will be feisty in the upcoming Southern 500 race. Although Bubba Wallace has the upper hand with a pole spot and an incoming bundle of joy, Ross Chastain may go all out to steal his glory.
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