Denny Hamlin was proud of Bubba Wallace’s performance at the Charlotte Roval, and recognized that some factors out of his control ruined his finishing position on Sunday.
Late in the race, Daniel Suarez got loose and bumped Austin Cindric, who in turn bumped Wallace and caused him to miss the corner. That incurred a penalty on Wallace, even though he was a victim of a wreck.
After coming to a complete stop, Wallace was able to continue, but the loss of track position all but ended his attempt to win his way into the Round of 8. Afterwards, Hamlin elaborated on the incident that ruined Wallace’s afternoon in Charlotte.
“He got the crap end of the stick,” Hamlin said, via his latest Actions Detrimental podcast. “Most people that get knocked into a situation where they didn’t make the corner because they got knocked around, it’s a double-bad deal for them. But it’s what happens, for sure. That was a bad deal.
“Daniel just blew the corner, and hit the No. 2 and the No. 2 hit A, and A hit B and C spun out. It’s just a ricochet of cars when you get down there, and someone misses it, it just causes complete havoc. Bubba obviously got the tail end of that deal. So that was unfortunate.”
Regardless, it was always a long shot that Bubba Wallace was going to make the Round of 8. Moving forward, he’ll be looking to improve and make it easier on himself in the Playoffs, piling up victories and Playoff points throughout the season.
Bubba Wallace sends message after NASCAR Cup Series playoff elimination
Alas, Sunday wasn’t exactly the way Bubba Wallace envisioned celebrating his 30th birthday. The NASCAR Cup Series driver hoped he’d be enjoying a spot in the Round of 8 this weekend. Instead, his push for a championship came up short.
Wallace finished 16th at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course on Sunday, not a strong enough run to earn a spot in the Round of 8. That means the driver will have to wait another year to try and win a Cup Series title.
Following the disappointing run Sunday, Wallace released a statement on X.
“I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason,” Wallace wrote. “Bummed, but I accept that it just wasn’t meant to be. Being at peace with the trials and tribulations is a weird thing. 30 … is that you? Appreciate the bday love and the continued support. Y’all be safe.”
Wallace had a shot to earn one of the top eight spots and advance — an impressive feat considering he hadn’t won a race all season. He did post eight finishes inside the top-10 in his 32 starts.
On3’s Dustin Schutte contributed to this article.