Bubba Wallace reacts to first career Cup pole victory in Michigan
Bubba Wallace reacts to claiming his first career NASCAR Cup Series pole at Michigan, and knocking Christopher Bell off the pole
“About time,” said Bubba Wallace on Saturday following his first career pole win at Michigan. “It took me five years to get my first pole.”
The 28-year-old put down a lap of 37.755 (190.703 MPH), knocking Christopher Bell off the pole to earn his first career pole this season alongside Bell, Austin Cindric, Cole Custer, Chris Buescher, and Chase Briscoe. The Busch Light Pole Award is the first to be won by an African-American driver since the lone pole of Wendell Scott’s career at Savannah Speedway in 1962, and the very first pole for 23XI Racing as an organization.
The Alabama-native shared that he was not aware he had won the pole. He just “felt really good about the lap... “I was on the wrong channel, and they told me I won the pole.”
Wallace also added that he’s proud of everybody on the No. 23 team, who have been sticking through it despite all the adversity.
Bubba Wallace ready for the ‘real job’
“Now, the real job is tomorrow, right? We know that’s a totally different ball game. So, a good starting spot for us, but we’ve gotta reset and get ready for tomorrow.”
Wallace led the way for Toyota, which impressively put five of its cars in the top 10 in qualifying. Ty Gibbs was the only Toyota not to make the top 10, who came 11th in his third-straight race substituting for the injured Kurt Busch.
Wallace, who had three straight top-10 finishes leading up to Michigan, finished in fifth place last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.