It hasn’t been that long since the 2022 Cup Series season ended, but Bubba Wallace is already raring to go for the 2023 season.
Wallace didn’t have a memorable first half of the 2022 season and the driver himself rated it as only C minus. However, the second half of the season was a marked improvement; because of that, Wallace wants to keep the momentum going.
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“As much as I’m ready for the off-season, I’m ready for next season to start,” Wallace said.
He rated the second half of the season as an A or A minus. He credited the team’s improvement to figuring out how to use the Next Gen car.
“Just having conversations about how we are so much better as a team and as a manufacturer from Phoenix one to Phoenix two, it just makes you think about how much better you’ll be starting the year off. It took us all year to figure out this car; we’re still figuring it out day by day. Having the right people in our camp and back at the shop figuring all that out to get us ready and prepped for next year is super exciting.”
If one looks at the numbers Wallace posted in the second half of the season, his claim is justified. Not only he showed improvements, he also got a win at Kansas Speedway.
Furthermore, he had eight top-10 finishes, in contrast to just two top-10 finishes in the first half. Additionally, he failed to finish races five times during that time but the numbers come down to two in the second part of the season.
Wallace has done a good job since debuting with 23XI Racing in 2021, finishing both seasons with a win. However, more will be expected from the 23XI Racing driver in his third season with the team.