Bubba Wallace doesn't want to 'overthink' things during Verizon 200 at the Brickyard
It is crunch time for Bubba Wallace and the rest of the NASCAR Playoff bubble drivers as they tackle the Indy Road Course today. For Wallace, it comes down to doing the little things and making sure he doesn’t “overthink” anything in these next two weeks.
Sitting 15th in the playoff standings and 14th overall in points, Bubba Wallace is in unprecedented territory. He’s been close to winning in the regular season in the past. Been close at Daytona, Talladega. However, this is different.
Wallace’s success this season is due to a complete resume over the year. Now, he just has to remain steady for two weeks on road courses, and he’ll be back in his element at Daytona.
“When you don’t give a damn about things that makes things fun, right?” Wallace said to media at Indy. “When you start thinking and overthinking that dials yourself right out and it’s not fun. So, I’m a damn good person of overthinking things, especially road course racing taking the fun right out of it. You just gotta go out and get back to the basics. I’ve hit up sim a lot this week just to figure out where Tyler was fast. I told him in our meeting on Tuesday, I said, ‘Hey man, to get the 23 locked in you just gotta win these next two weeks, you’re the best road course racer. Just got out and win and you’ll be fine, no one else can.’ So I put a little extra pressure on him.”
So, what will a successful day look like for Bubba Wallace and his team?
Bubba Wallace P5 last season at Indy
If we go back a year ago, the Indy Road Course was one of Wallace’s best races. It is definitely his best road course performance as the 23 car came through P5 a season ago. This year the competition is stiffer with Shane van Gisbergen and other road course ringers.
Starting off P19, Wallace will have to do a few things if he wants to pick up points and get into the top-10. He has to avoid heavy contact, and hope that he doesn’t have a major pit or mechanical issue. That sounds simple, but a lot of drivers will tell you it is not. Coming to the checkered flag in one piece can mean a lot when it comes to points racing.
The bad news for Bubba Wallace, Daniel Suárez is the pole winner. If he wins the race, that is one less playoff spot available with Watkins Glen and Daytona still to come.
More bad news, Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, and Ty Gibbs all have top-10 starting spots. And don’t count out Chase Briscoe starting P13. The Indiana driver wants this more than anything. Bubba Wallace has a points cushion but will have to try and pick up as many as he can this weekend and next to avoid losing that lead.