Bubba Wallace savors playoff-picture gains after Indy top five: 'We thrive off counting us out'

Seemingly suddenly, the virtual must-win territory that Bubba Wallace and his 23XI Racing team have occupied in their pursuit of a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs doesn’t feel so dire.

Wallace registered a solid fifth-place finish in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, adding his first stage win of the year to make another significant gain in the postseason standings. Wallace was a daunting 51 points below the provisional elimination line three weeks ago, but now sits just seven points behind Ross Chastain, who clings to the 16th and final berth with four regular-season races remaining.

Three top-10 finishes in the last four races have helped Wallace chip away at the points deficit. Those strides have also eroded doubts about the No. 23 team’s chances of climbing back onto the playoffs’ plus side.

“We thrive off counting us out,” Wallace said. “You thought we’d be out in the (first) round, too, last year, didn’t you? We didn’t do that, either. Just keep on fighting, prove y’all wrong.”

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Wallace has used the naysaying as fuel for his motivation. In the final laps at Indy, the actual fuel in the tank of his No. 23 Toyota was in short supply. Wallace was among those who had last pitted on Lap 112, and when the race stretched seven overtime laps past its scheduled 160-lap distance, making it to the end was a reach.

His car started to run dry just as a caution flag froze the field on the final lap, with Kyle Larson sealing the win ahead of Tyler Reddick — Wallace’s teammate and the pole-sitter in the No. 45 Toyota.

“Exactly what we needed going into the two off weeks here,” said Wallace, noting the Olympic break before the Cup Series resumes at Richmond Raceway on Aug. 11. “Just a good day. I did a terrible job Friday and Saturday, put us behind and 45 (Reddick) was the class in the field. We were able to make some gains to get there and just … was obviously on the fuel call, and they timed it right. I ran out taking the white (flag) and limped back, so yeah, good day.”

Wallace led 26 laps, adding 10 points to his day’s haul by winning Stage 2. His advances in the standings were aided by a middling 15th-place result from Chastain and a 22nd-place finish by Chris Buescher, who is now just 17 points above elimination in the 15th spot on the current playoff grid.

Sunday marked a one-week gain of 20 points for Wallace, relative to the playoff line.

“We look at points all the time, but racing the level of cars that we’re racing, you have to finish well regardless,” No. 23 crew chief Bootie Barker told NASCAR.com, adding with a laugh, “Yeah, we look at everything.”

Wallace said he’ll find some time to disconnect in the two idle weeks before the regular-season hunt continues next month. He plans to attend Reddick’s wedding on the first off weekend, then said he’ll try to spend time with family during the second off weekend, which coincides with his mother’s birthday.

He’ll enter the time off with momentum from his first top-five finish since April at Martinsville.

“Not the best start, but executed, and that’s what it’s all about,” Wallace said. “And apparently we made up a lot of points, so just keep on digging.”