In a thrilling performance at Daytona International Speedway, Bubba Wallace proved once again why he’s a force to be reckoned with. The 23XI Racing driver secured an impressive victory at the Daytona 500 qualifying race, setting the stage for what could be a career-defining run in the main event on Sunday.
Wallace, who has come agonizingly close to victory in NASCAR’s biggest race before, displayed a masterclass in strategic racing and patience throughout the Duel. His car was fast, his moves were calculated, and when it mattered most, he made all the right calls.
“I’ve wanted one of these Duel wins for so long. I didn’t know whether to stop on the front stretch, where to go to victory lane. Two years hiatus, you lose memory a lot or really quick.”, Wallace said in the post-race press conference. He also added, “The grind never stops. Now that we’re officially—our season is underway, the grind doesn’t stop until post-race Phoenix. We just have to continue to fight and work really hard to get our cars even better.”
A History of Near Misses at Daytona
Daytona has been both a proving ground and a heartbreak for Wallace. In 2018, during his rookie season, he finished a dramatic runner-up in the Daytona 500. He repeated that feat in 2022, missing out on victory by mere inches.
With 15 race starts at Daytona, Wallace holds an impressive five top-five finishes, proving his ability to navigate the chaos of pack racing. However, he knows that raw speed and track record mean little when it comes to finally conquering the race and admitted that in this statement, “I feel like we’ve done just about everything right, but just about everything I don’t think is good enough to win the 500.”
Bubba Wallace took home the win in Duel 1 at Daytona, while Justin Allgaier made it through to the Daytona 500.https://t.co/5NvAE8a9D5
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) February 14, 2025
However, remaining positive he also added, “It’s got to be perfect. So we just have to really focus on how to do that and, when the time comes, be in the same spot here on Sunday.”
Momentum for the Big One
Winning the Duel isn’t just about bragging rights—it’s a massive confidence boost heading into the race, which he mentioned quite a lot in his statements. It proves that Wallace and his team have the speed, teamwork, and racecraft needed to finally seal the deal.
With Toyota power under the hood and a car that looks fast, Wallace is heading into Sunday’s Daytona 500 with momentum and belief.
For a driver who has been knocking on the door of history, the question now is simple: Is 2025 the year Bubba Wallace finally takes his place in Victory Lane at the Daytona 500?
