Gateway Throwback: Bubba Wallace wins Truck Series race in NASCAR's return to WWTR

The NASCAR Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series both return to WWTR this weekend. Bubba Wallace had a big win there in 2014. This track used to just be for the Xfinity and Truck Series. Until 2022, the Cup Series didn’t go to Gateway, now known as Worldwide Technology Raceway. That doesn’t mean we don’t have some exciting finishes to look back on.

Between 2010 and 2013, NASCAR didn’t race at Gateway. The Xfinity Series has still not returned to the track. However, it was announced the Truck Series would return to the track for the 2014 season. The track was still called Gateway and Bubba Wallace was still going by Darrell Wallace Jr.

This race track has a way of producing some exciting finishes. The 2014 Drivin’ for Linemen 200 gave us a dash for the finish. Wallace had been great on the restarts all day, but Germán Quiroga Jr. was right there to push him to the end. The three-time NASCAR Mexico champion had some good runs in the Truck Series.

Quiroga had a great shot at winning this race. However, Bubba Wallace was just too good on the restart. The rest is history.

Wallace picked up his first win of the 2014 season in this race. He then went on to win at Eldora, Martinsville, and Homestead-Miami. While he finished third in the points standings, as Matt Crafton won another championship, it was a statement season for the young driver at the time.

If you look back on Bubba Wallace’s last four races, including the All-Star Race, he has four straight top-5 finishes. He’s one of the hottest drivers in the Cup Series right now. So, can he recreate that 2014 magic at WWTR/Gateway this weekend?

Bubba Wallace on a hot streak

There was a moment after COTA and Richmond, where you didn’t know what Bubba Wallace was going to do. He seemed lost on and off the track. He was making negative comments about himself, even insinuating he might need to be replaced. Whatever changed for Wallace at Bristol Dirt has been the turnaround of his season.

Outside of a Talladega race he was leading on the final lap when he wrecked out, Wallace has finished no worse than P12 since finishing P22 at Richmond. Kansas he took home a P4 finish. Then at Darlington, he was P5. After finishing runner-up to Kyle Larson at the All-Star Race, he went on to finish P4 at Charlotte and had one of the most impressive runs of the 600-mile race.

Even when he faced repeated losses on pit road, due to his crew and other drivers being awkwardly aligned in their box, Wallace fought back. The fact the 23 finished ahead of his teammate Tyler Reddick in the 45 is wild when you consider the setbacks Wallace had.

If you see Bubba Wallace racing in the top-5 again this weekend, don’t be shocked. This is the driver he has been for a month now. Can he keep it going?