“Basically an All-star race”: Bubba Wallace shares his blunt take on NASCAR’s $1M paying tournament

Bubba Wallace Shares Blunt Take on NASCAR’s $1 Million In-Season Tournament

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace recently gave a candid response regarding NASCAR’s new in-season tournament, which offers a $1 million prize to the winner. Despite the high stakes, Wallace appeared indifferent to the event, emphasizing that his team’s focus remains on consistent performance throughout the summer stretch of races.

Tournament Structure and Schedule

The in-season tournament will use the final three races broadcast on Prime—Michigan, Mexico City, and Pocono—to determine the 32 drivers who will qualify for the bracket-style competition. The tournament itself will be covered over five races on TNT, starting with the Round of 32 in Atlanta, then moving to Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and culminating in a head-to-head finale at the Brickyard.

Bubba Wallace’s Perspective

Wallace downplayed the importance of the tournament, suggesting it is not a major focus for him or his team. He stated that the #23 team would approach the summer races as they always do, prioritizing execution and accumulating points.

“Screw whoever made that. We haven’t talked about that. What’s the prize? A million. It’s basically an All-Star Race, but points matter Wallace said, as reported by altdriver.com.

He further explained that he wasn’t fully up to speed on the tournament details, but reiterated that their approach wouldn’t change:

“…I don’t know enough about it to give you that much. Clearly, I’m asking questions, but I think we treat it like another race. Execute on pit road, stay out of the mess. Our speed is well capable of having a good in-season tournament, but to me, it’s just having a good summer stretch

How the Tournament Works

Winners from the seeding rounds will automatically qualify for the tournament. The remaining spots will go to drivers with the best finishes across those three events. The tournament follows a traditional bracket-style elimination, halving the field over five races until only two drivers remain for a head-to-head showdown at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the $1 million prize on the line.

Seeding round begins: FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 8.
Tournament kicks off: June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Tournament finale: Brickyard 400 on July 27.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Disagrees

NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. disagreed with Wallace and other Cup drivers who have downplayed the significance of the $1 million tournament. On his podcast, Dale Jr. Download, he called out drivers for not being honest about their desire to win the prize.

“Bullsh*t! It might not change exactly how they strategize to win races or approach the races, but they are thinking about it. They are lying if they are saying otherwise, because every one of them would love to pocket that money. It’s like the easiest $1 million to win, of anything else in the season said Earnhardt Jr.

Wallace’s Current Standings

After failing to advance to the All-Star Race a couple of weeks prior, Wallace sees the in-season tournament as another chance to compete for a $1 million prize. However, he’ll need to navigate both a street race and a road course to reach the finale, which could be challenging.

Currently, Bubba Wallace sits 12th in the Cup Series standings at the halfway point of the regular season.