Bubba Wallace, driving for 23XI Racing, is on the brink of potentially securing a playoff spot in the NASCAR Cup Series as he heads into the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Currently ranked 17th on the playoff grid, Wallace is 21 points behind Chris Buescher and must either win the race or accumulate enough points to qualify. He has had a strong season with five top-five finishes and ten top-10s, including a recent sixth-place finish at Daytona. Wallace emphasizes the need for a flawless race, stating, 'I need to portray the best race that I've ever had in my career to make the playoffs.' He acknowledges the pressure but maintains confidence in his team's performance, particularly in terms of pit strategy and execution. As Darlington has historically been a starting point for the playoffs, Wallace understands the unique challenges the track presents and is mentally preparing for a strong showing.