​​23XI owner 'proud' of Bubba Wallace's unbelievable turnaround

Bubba Wallace is likely to exit the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs this weekend, but he would do so with the arrow pointing north on his racing career.

That is the verdict of 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, who along with basketball icon Michael Jordan, put their faith in the 31-year-old to be a standard bearer for their young team.

Hamlin, a 44-year-old veteran of the sport, gushed about Wallace's progression after Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas. Ironic, really, as he had just managed to almost single-handedly wreck Wallace’s postseason dreams.

The two men were fighting it out for victory on the very last lap when Hamlin sent Bubba into the wall. It was a disastrous moment which saw Wallace relegated to a fifth-place finish as Chase Elliott claimed a surprise victory.

Instead of a win that would have locked him into the Round of 8, Wallace heads for Charlotte on Sunday some 26 below the cutline and facing elimination.

Bubba, unsurprisingly, was furious in the immediate aftermath as he flipped the middle finger at Hamlin, who came home in second place for Joe Gibbs Racing. As Hamlin pointed out later, you have to separate Denny the driver from Denny the team owner.

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Hamlin praises Bubba's 'unbelievable turnaround'

Despite the weekend disappointment for 23XI, Wallace has had an excellent 2025 - highlighted by that win at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in July. Hamlin for one, has been massively impressed.

“Bubba’s turnaround over the last few years has just been - I can’t believe it, truthfully,” he said while shooting the Actions Detrimental podcast.

“The maturity he has shown - he’s been the lead car at 23XI really the entire year. I think the 45 [Tyler Reddick] might have him on average finish because he doesn’t have as many DNFs, but the 23 has been the fastest freakin’ car we’ve got, and that’s something that just, I can’t believe it.”

Hamlin believes it is not just about talent, he feels Wallace’s entire psyche has changed - and in a very good way.

“Whether it’s Charles Denike and his setups or Bubba’s mentality, something changed over there that has made Bubba someone you’re going to have to contend with every single week.

“And you’re gonna have to contend with him this weekend, by the way. If you haven’t seen his road-course skills, they’ve dramatically improved. I couldn’t be more proud of that 23 team and what they’re doing week in, week out.”

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Latest NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Sunday at the Roval (3pm ET, USA network) is also likely to see the elimination of Reddick - he is 29 points below the cutline. Things right now are bleak in playoff terms for 23XI.

Here is how the very latest Cup Series playoff standings shape up as we head for Charlotte:

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