NASCAR insider fears for Bubba Wallace as playoff verdict emerges

NASCAR insider Steve Letarte has admitted that Bubba Wallace's position in the current chase for a playoff spot scares him.

Wallace currently sits 10th in the regular season standings, but gets knocked down to 13th when you look at the playoff standings, which account for the 'win and you're in' rule.

Currently, 10 drivers have locked themselves into the playoffs with a victory, with six further spots up for grabs through points at present, although any new race winners would see this number decrease.

And, Letarte says that whilst he is confident the likes of Chase Elliott and Wallace's 23XI team-mate Tyler Reddick will make it on points if they have to, given they are three digits above the cut line, he's fearful for the position that the driver of the No. 23 finds himself in.

“I have Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick that are way above the cut line at like 140 and 120 something, I feel great about them,” Letarte explained on Inside the Race.

“Even Bubba Wallace, who is a chunk above, right? 57 points above in 13th. That scares me.

“Not because of how Bubba's running but because he's only, you know, maybe less than 20 [points] above Briscoe, and I think we could have two or three more winners.”

Letarte on 2025 playoff chase

Letarte continued, expanding further on his fears for Wallace's spot, explaining that it is because the playoff line is constantly moving, going on to detail several names he thinks could still win a race this year.

Letarte continued: “The cut line isn't painted on the asphalt. It isn't this hard line; this line moves with winners. So if you look at guys who haven't won, could Chase Briscoe win? I don’t think that would shock us,”

“These are guys behind Bubba Wallace. [Alex] Bowman road courses, runs well. [Chris] Buescher, we talked about him winning at Watkins Glen last year. [Michael] McDowell ran great at the road course. [AJ] Allmendinger ran great at the road course.

“Kyle Busch, I think it's unfair even though he's been on a cooler streak lately, to think he can't win, and the list continues.

“Carson [Hocevar] we keep talking about him polarising because of his mistakes, but he's also polarising because of his speed. I think he's dangerous.

“And then going to Atlanta, the list is even longer, I look at Todd Gilliland way down there in 27th, he’s a speedway racing machine, he could win at a place like Atlanta.”

Letarte concluded: “This playoff picture over the summer is fascinating to me as it is every year because the cut line keeps moving.”

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