Denny Hamlin confident that Bubba Wallace can perform in NASCAR Cup Series playoffs

Winless on the season, Bubba Wallace still doesn’t quite control his own destiny when it comes to clinching a spot into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

With four spots up for grabs and four races remaining until the playoffs begin in September, Wallace holds a 54-point advantage ahead of Ty Gibbs, AJ Allmendinger and others vying to get above the cutline. Ahead of Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin said he likes where Wallace is at, and paid compliment to his team for doing a good job of “playing the game.”

“I certainly like where Bubba’s at now, compared to what he was a few weeks ago,” Hamlin said Saturday, via The SportsRush. “I think that team’s really done a good job of you know playing the game, managing the races the proper way and that’s what’s got ’em the points cushion they’ve got. You know it’s still not locked in right, you still want to come out of this racetrack, if he’s got +56, let’s get it to +70, right? You got to keep setting goals, keep expanding this thing to give yourself some buffer going into those last few weeks.”

Hamlin, who earned his spot into the postseason as a two-time winner this season, added he believes Wallace is more than capable of being a “playoff driver.”

“I think he’s more than capable of being a playoff driver, he drove the No. 45 to a great standing last year in the playoff standings,” Hamlin said. “So He’s very capable and I think he’s just gotten better and better as he’s been with 23XI.”

Bubba Wallace looking to secure spot in NASCAR Cup Series playoffs

Wallace, 29, missed out on the playoffs last season, finishing a career-high 19th in the points standings. This time around, he may get in without having to win a race. But that, however, doesn’t mean he feels safe without one.

“Four spots left, four races,” Wallace told Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports Saturday. “You’re not safe at all. It could be a first time winner this year. So you just hope that it’s someone in front of you… We just gotta get through. I think if we don’t win and it’s a repeat winner this weekend, now it’s like OK, three races left, four spots left still. These road courses can be a wild card too, so fortunately enough, we got the best road course racer in the series right now on our team [Tyler Reddick] — and it ain’t me. So, we’re relying on him.”

Wallace will start Sunday’s race from the 11th position, going for his first win of the season and third of his career.