Bubba Wallace Rocked by Close Ally’s No-Sugarcoating Martinsville Verdict as Hocevar Pass Triggers Alarm Bells at 23XI

“We’re done.” Two words seemed to end Bubba Wallace’s Martinsville campaign, which he had been running for the past 323 laps, and rather consistently. Although he sounded disappointed with how it turned out, Wallace was under the fans’ radar because of the nature of the wreck he had with Carson Hocevar. His spotter, Freddie Kraft, discussing the incident, found no diplomatic way to put it forward, and despite the good start to the year, he feels that they could miss out on a title run.

Bubba Wallace could miss out on the title race

“There’s not really any sugar coating about it. I got to take Bubba for his word. He said he misjudged. If he misjudged, it was a really bad misjudgment, and it hurts,” Kraft explained, speaking on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast. There wasn’t a lot that happened during the race at Martinsville. Wallace wasn’t challenging for a race win, nor was any other 23XI Racing car.

But at one point in the final stage, Wallace seemed to be getting too eager as he bumped into the #77 Chevy of Carson Hocevar heading into the corner. What followed after that seemed like Wallace had no brakes as he kept running into Hocevar, spinning him around. This, of course, triggered a chain reaction. Luckily for the #77, he was able to carry on, while Wallace had to retire from the race.

But the race could have a more serious and more lasting damage on the entire team, as Kraft suggested: “We went from third in points to now. I think we’re tied for eighth with five other guys. So if you want to be a contender for the championship […] that s*** can’t happen.”

Early in the season, it seemed like this could be the year Wallace takes off and competes for the Cup Series. However, the consistency issues from previous seasons have started to show up again.

What does Wallace realistically need to work on for a title contention?

Analyzing Bubba Wallace’s performances in the past years, the biggest issue is not a lack of overall pace, it’s not skills, but one simple aspect: consistency.

Just last year, Wallace clinched 14 total top 10 finishes, including a few within the top 5 and a race win. However, there were also regular drops out of the top 20 and DNFs. That hurt his campaign way too much. And winning that one race so late, he has no shot at the title. Considering that it was the playoff era, Wallace can be a little relaxed this year, as it is the Chase Format.

ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 22: Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing Xfinity Toyota and Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Spectrum Chevrolet race side by side during the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Autotrader 400 on February 22, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 22 NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader 400 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260222713

His teammate, Tyler Reddick, has already won four races, and even Wallace has showcased strong pace, so there seems to be no reason to believe that he is struggling with pace. Sure, it can take some time to get him to the top, but meanwhile, he will have to get back to that consistent drive he had earlier this season.

‘Misjudgments’ cost him his race at the Martinsville Speedway, and Wallace has to focus on becoming more consistent. In a stacked NASCAR field, it is difficult to secure a Cup Series win, but the Chase Format rewards consistency, and if Wallace manages to showcase that by regularly finishing in the Top 5, he could make a push for the title.

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