Bubba Wallace Reacts to Tyler Reddick's Historic NASCAR Start

Wallace jokes that Reddick has 'Jimmie Johnson's horseshoe up his ass' after 3 straight wins to open season

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace has commented on the historic start to the 2026 season by his 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick, who has won the first three races. While Reddick leads the points standings by a wide margin, Wallace sits second and has shown strong speed, leading the most laps of any driver outside of Reddick. Wallace jokingly attributed Reddick's success to 'luck' and having 'Jimmie Johnson's horseshoe up his ass', but acknowledged that Reddick has simply executed better so far this season.

Why it matters

The strong start by Reddick has overshadowed the solid performance of his teammate Bubba Wallace, who is second in the points standings. This early-season dynamic between the two 23XI Racing drivers will be an interesting storyline to follow as the season progresses and they compete for wins, playoff spots, and the championship.

The details

Through the first three races of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Tyler Reddick has won all three events, making him the first driver to accomplish that feat to start a season. Meanwhile, his 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace has also been running well, posting a pair of top-10 finishes and sitting second in the points standings, 70 points behind Reddick. Wallace has led the most laps of any driver outside of Reddick, showcasing the speed in his car. However, Wallace joked that Reddick's success is due to 'luck' and having 'Jimmie Johnson's horseshoe up his ass', referencing the legendary driver's penchant for good fortune. Wallace acknowledged that Reddick has simply executed better so far this season, taking advantage of pit strategy and avoiding mistakes that have plagued Wallace at times.

  • The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season began on February 19th, 2026 with the Daytona 500.
  • The second race of the season was held on February 26th, 2026 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
  • The third race of the season was the Echopark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on March 5th, 2026.

The players

Bubba Wallace

A NASCAR driver who competes full-time in the Cup Series, driving the #23 car for 23XI Racing, a team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Tyler Reddick

A NASCAR driver who competes full-time in the Cup Series, driving the #45 car for 23XI Racing, the same team as Bubba Wallace.

Jimmie Johnson

A seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion who is considered one of the greatest drivers in the sport's history, known for his consistent success and good fortune on the track.

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What they’re saying

“He's got Jimmie Johnson's horseshoe up his ass”

— Bubba Wallace, NASCAR Driver (FOX Sports)

What’s next

The next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Straight Talk Wireless 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 17th, 2026. This will be the first oval track race of the season, providing an opportunity for Bubba Wallace to showcase the speed of his car and potentially close the gap on his teammate Tyler Reddick in the points standings.

The takeaway

While Tyler Reddick has dominated the early part of the 2026 NASCAR season, winning the first three races, his 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace has also shown impressive speed and consistency, sitting second in the points standings. This intra-team rivalry will be an intriguing storyline to follow as the season progresses and the two drivers compete for wins, playoff spots, and the championship.