"At times, he's fallen short": NASCAR broadcaster on Bubba Wallace's "mental fortitude" going into NASCAR Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway

NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400
Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 McDonald's Toyota, waits on the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway on April 07, 2024 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace has turned a stone in his NASCAR Cup Series career since the #23 Toyota Camry XSE driver's appearance in the postseason playoffs last season.

Qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in his mature career in the highest echelon of the sport, Wallace seems to have unlocked what he was previously missing as a driver.

The introduction of Tyler Reddick onto the team has also meant Bubba Wallace has had to up his game to match and ideally defeat one of the most highly-rated young talents in the sport.

NASCAR broadcaster Steve Letarte recently spoke on Wallace's performances and what he needs to win at the upcoming Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. He elaborated on Dirty Mo Media's Dirty Mo Dough podcast and said:

"Coming off what I consider a great Martinsville. When I say great, here's what I need out of Bubba. It's not a talent question, the guy can drive. I'm not even questioning the equipment anymore. It's the mental fortitude to do it week in and week out."

On Bubba Wallace's tendencies in the sport, Letarte added:

"We're talking about battling against the best in the world, it takes a different breed, it takes something that it's hard to explain. At times, Bubba has it, at times he's fallen short. I will say though, really since the playoff run a year ago, he has impressed me."

The Alabama native has been on a consistent run of top 5 and top 10 finishes in the current season, with many believing a breakthrough win for the 30-year-old is right around the corner.

What are Bubba Wallace's odds of winning tomorrow's

NASCAR Cup Series race?

According the CBS Sports, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace sits at the top of the list of drivers expected to win at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. The Mobile, Alabama native sits in P9 with 15-1 odds of winning the event.

Drivers such as Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Denny Hamlin headline the top 3 with 4-1, 6-1 and 7-1 odds, respectively. It remains to be seen how Bubba Wallace will perform at the upcoming 1.5-mile-long racetrack, a venue that has historically seen him run better than at other places.

The race goes live tomorrow (April 14) at 3:00 pm ET.

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