Bubba Wallace isn't one to hold back, and he's making it clear what's grinding his gears in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series. The 23XI Racing driver, currently sitting 12th in the standings while teammate Tyler Reddick dominates with five wins in 10 starts, has pinpointed a specific race-day frustration that he says needs an overhaul.
In a candid interview with The Athletic, Wallace didn't mince words when asked about the pettiest thing that annoys him during a race weekend. His answer zeroed in on the high-pressure, split-second "choose" procedure that kicks in just before restarts at short tracks and road courses.
“What’s annoying is the mad dash at short tracks when it’s choose time,” Wallace said. “At Martinsville, we’re rushing to get all the cars through. Why not do two laps to go? Bristol, same thing. Why are we rushing?”
The frustration doesn't end there. Wallace also called out the placement of the choose cone at road courses like COTA and Sonoma, arguing that the current setup forces drivers into a frantic scramble right at the start-finish line. “There are different straightaways we could use,” he added. “We wait until the last little bit, and that’s it.”
Wallace, who has just one top-five finish this season but five top-10s, says the rushed procedures create unnecessary chaos—especially for drivers trying to claw their way back through the field. “When we’ve had to restart in the back, I’m in third gear, fourth gear going into Turn 3 just trying to catch up,” he explained.
The Athletic's Jeff Gluck, who conducted the interview, backed Wallace's take. “You’re right, because from the press box, you’ll see the first few guys kind of take their time, and then all of a sudden everybody’s speeding up, rushing to catch the back of the field, and then it’s going green,” Gluck responded.
Wallace's comments come amid a season where his team has been a study in contrasts. Reddick's dominance has put 23XI Racing in the spotlight, but Wallace's struggles to convert strong runs into wins have left him searching for answers. This isn't the first time he's spoken out about race operations—recently, his post-race honesty split NASCAR nation after a Talladega wreck, and he also pointed the finger at himself for that same incident.
Whether NASCAR will take Wallace's suggestion to heart remains to be seen. But with a driver of his stature—and a growing chorus of fans who've echoed similar gripes—the call for a two-lap warning and better cone placement might finally get a serious look. As Wallace put it, the current system feels like a mad dash that doesn't need to be. And for a sport that prides itself on precision, that's a valid point.
