A year ago, Bubba Wallace was not in the playoffs, but that didn’t stop him from stealing a win at Kansas and playing spoiler. For his second career win in the Cup Series, Wallace wasn’t even in his usual No. 23 car. Instead, he had a (cosmetic) change to the No. 45 since Kurt Busch put the car into the NASCAR owners championship with a regular season win at Kansas.
So, a different number, a strange playoff situation – none of that mattered. Bubba Wallace and his boss Denny Hamlin were clearly the class of the field a year ago. Wallace just had a little more speed in his car that day.
Usually an emotional driver, Wallace was filled with elation after the win. He fist-pumped, yelled, and gave a silencing “hush” to his detractors. It was a defiant moment. One that ended with him burning down the tires in an epic burnout.
Then, he followed it by saying he was, “Thankful to shut the hell up [sic], for a lot of people.”