Bubba Wallace set to reach notable NASCAR career milestone at Nashville

Bubba Wallace will make his 200th NASCAR Cup Series start in Nashville.

Bubba Wallace set to reach notable NASCAR career milestone at Nashville

Bubba Wallace (Image via Al.com)

The 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace made his first NASCAR Cup Series appearance in 2017. Aric Almirola, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver, was injured, and the team announced Wallace to replace him in the No:43 Ford. He was the first African American to compete in the Cup Series since Bill Lester in 2006. Wallace also became the first African American driver to have a full-time Cup stint since the NASCAR legend Wendell Scott in 1971.

In the upcoming Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, Wallace is set to make another career milestone. The 29-year-old will start his 200th career NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend. It is still a remarkable achievement though he has not made 200 consecutive starts in this division. This is because his first four races, where he filled in for other drivers, were divided in half. And also, at the end of the 2022 season, Bubba Wallace was suspended for contact on the track. 

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Wallace joined Richard Petty Motorsports and replaced Aric Almirola as a full-time driver in 2018. As the only African American driver in the highest level of NASCAR, Wallace received support from Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and MLB player Hall of Famer Hank Aaron. The 23XI Racing driver finished the 2018 season opener, the Daytona 500, second place behind race winner Austin Dillon. It was the highest finish by a rookie driver in race history. 

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Bubba Wallace has two wins in his Cup Series career

Bubba Wallace (Image via Autoweek)
Bubba Wallace (Image via Autoweek)

In 2020, NBA legend Micheal Jordan and NASCAR icon Denny Hamlin created the 23XI Racing, a NASCAR team. They signed Bubba Wallace as the first driver for the No:23. During that season, he secured a third-place finish but was promoted to second after post-race car inspection failure for Chris Buescher. It was his best finish equaling his 2018 Daytona 500 result. 

Bubba Wallace’s 2021 NASCAR season is unforgettable for him and his fans. The Alabama native secured his first Cup Series win at Talladega. He became the first African American driver to win a Cup race since Wendell Scott in 1963. It was a proud moment for him and the team.

In 2022, Wallace had a new teammate, Kurt Busch. It was another season filled with achievements as he won his first career pole at Michigan. His second win came at Kansas, where Wallace had an impressive run leading the final 67 laps and holding off Denny Hamlin. 

Bubba Wallace is now 15th in the 2023 Cup Series standings after the Toyota Save Mart 350. He would hope to redeem himself and move up the ladder in upcoming races. Moreover, Wallace will undoubtedly be excited about his 200th Cup Series start at Nashville. 

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