Bubba Wallace left disappointed with top-10 result after dominating the 2026 Daytona 500

The 25-year-old Wallace from Mobile, Alabama, led a race-high 40 of 200 laps and won the second stage before being shuffled to 10th place in his ninth Daytona 500 start.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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As Tyler Reddick celebrated his first Daytona 500 career victory at Daytona International Speedway, Bubba Wallace, Reddick's teammate at 23XI Racing, was left defeated after having a dominant run conclude with a top-10 result. Wallace, the 2025 Brickyard 400 champion from Mobile, Alabama, led a race-high 40 of 200 laps and won the second stage before being shuffled to 10th place in his ninth Daytona 500 start.

Why it matters

Wallace has been one of the top drivers in NASCAR in recent years, winning the Brickyard 400 in 2025 and establishing himself as a consistent contender. His strong performance at the Daytona 500 shows he has the potential to win NASCAR's biggest race, but he was ultimately left disappointed after being unable to seal the victory.

The details

Wallace started the race in 27th place but quickly moved up the field, leading 10 laps in the first stage and then winning the second stage. He led a race-high 30 laps in the final stage as well, battling alongside his 23XI Racing teammate Corey Heim and Toyota teammate Christopher Bell. However, a late pit stop under green dropped Wallace back in the field, and he was only able to recover to a 10th-place finish despite avoiding a late-race crash.

  • Wallace led his first 3 laps of the race on Laps 77 to 79.
  • Wallace won the second stage that concluded under caution on Lap 130.
  • Wallace led a race-high 30 laps in the final stage period.
  • Wallace pitted for the final time with 20 laps remaining, dropping him back in the field.
  • Wallace restarted 6th with 4 laps to go but could only manage a 10th-place finish.

The players

Bubba Wallace

A 25-year-old NASCAR driver from Mobile, Alabama, who is the 2025 Brickyard 400 champion and a driver for the 23XI Racing team.

Tyler Reddick

The winner of the 2026 Daytona 500, Reddick is Bubba Wallace's teammate at 23XI Racing.

Corey Heim

Bubba Wallace's teammate at 23XI Racing who battled Wallace for the lead in the final stage.

Christopher Bell

A Toyota teammate of Bubba Wallace who also battled Wallace for the lead in the final stage.

Riley Herbst

Bubba Wallace's 23XI Racing teammate who also pitted with 20 laps remaining.

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What they’re saying

“Man, I don't know what to say. First off, hats off to the No. 45 group. I don't want my emotions to take away from the monumental day they just accomplished. I thought this was our week. The best [Daytona] 500 I've ever had, and come up short sucks, but couldn't be more proud of the team. I'm] Pumped for Xfinity to jump onboard the way they did and debut their first primary race in the 500. It was a good day for us, but damn, try again next year.”

— Bubba Wallace (FOX)

What’s next

Bubba Wallace's 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season continues next Sunday, February 22, for the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The event's broadcast time will commence at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN Radio, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.

The takeaway

Despite leading a race-high 40 laps and winning the second stage, Bubba Wallace was left disappointed after finishing 10th in the 2026 Daytona 500. The result highlights Wallace's potential to win NASCAR's biggest race, but also the challenges of closing out a victory at Daytona, where the unpredictable nature of the racing can shuffle the field late. Wallace will look to bounce back next week at EchoPark Speedway as he continues his pursuit of a first Cup Series championship.