Bubba Wallace Hopeful to Close 'Big Deal' after Michigan Top-10
Bubba Wallace bolstered his free agency value with a ninth-place finish on Saturday at Michigan International Speedway and suggested that even better news could be looming over the horizon this weekend.
"Everybody say a prayer for us," Wallace said on NBC Sports Network after the race. "There’s a big deal on the line right now, and this could help so much. I have yet to check my phone to see the status of it, but this will send us over the top if we can get it done.
"It’s been a lot of hard work off the racetrack for my team and everybody involved, to make things better, and that’s what we’re trying to do. So, putting solid runs together and having awesome restarts all day — this is only going to help the effort. I’m definitely smiling."
The 26-year-old is nearing the end of his free agent season driving the iconic Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43.
It was revealed last weekend that RPM majority owner Andrew Murstein had offered him an ownership stake as part of a package to retain Wallace for next season and beyond. Wallace confirmed the report and said he has several options on the figurative table.
That is in addition to his racing responsibilities and the various distractions placed in front of him this season as the spotlight driver of NASCAR’s efforts to strengthen its diversity and inclusion policies.
"We’re in the middle of silly season right now," Wallace said. "My mind is there, it’s here."
The ninth-place finish was Wallace’s fourth top-10 of the season, the most he has had at the highest level of the discipline. Wallace made a big for the lead late in the race when he took several of the leaders three-wide for second.
Wallace was not able to carry his momentum forward but held onto a position inside the top-10 for the duration of the race.
For a cash-strapped team like the 43, that was a moral victory if nothing else.
"To come out with a solid top-10 finish is positive," Wallace said. "We’ve got a lot of work to do. I was not happy with the car, but I think that’s the racer mentality: I don’t know if (Kevin) Harvick was happy about his car, either. We always strive to be better, but all in all, it was a solid day. The Choose Rule? Good job, NASCAR. That was fun. That was cool."
