Bubba Wallace greets followers previous to a NASCAR Cup Collection auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, in Darlington, S.C. Credit score: AP/Matt Kelley
FORT WORTH, Texas — Bubba Wallace will begin from the pole at Texas, the primary race after he simply made the lower to get into the second spherical of NASCAR’s playoffs.
Wallace turned a lap of 188.337 mph within the closing spherical of qualifying Saturday, ending forward of fellow playoff contenders and RFK Racing teammates Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski.
“Was I anticipating it? I don’t know,” Wallace mentioned. “Qualifying, you realize, I are inclined to strive too arduous and overthink issues. And that’s my downside with life, I have to cease doing it, I simply want to simply exit and do. In order that was a superb shock.”
It’s the second profession pole for Wallace, the 23XI Racing driver who entered the spherical of 12 in twelfth place after the factors have been reset following the primary three playoff races.
Buescher will begin on the entrance row Sunday with Wallace after a closing lap of 188.081 mph. Keselowski, who’s the proprietor of Buescher’s No. 17 automobile, certified third at 187.891 mph.
Christopher Bell was among the many 10 drivers that superior to the ultimate spherical of qualifying on the 1 1/2-mile Texas observe. However he’ll begin ninth after being on the pole for every of the primary three playoff races: at Darlington, Bristol and Kansas.
Defending race winner Tyler Reddick, Wallace’s teammate with 23XI Racing, begins fifteenth. Reddick gained final yr at Texas when nonetheless driving for Richard Childress Racing.
Factors chief William Byron, who has a series-high 5 wins this season, will begin 18th. That’s two spots behind Martin Truex Jr., who has the identical variety of factors however two fewer wins than Byron.
