Bubba Wallace must focus on closing out races amid heat of playoff battle

If there's one crucial ability that every racecar driver needs to have, it's the ability to close out races.

Racing is unique in the sense that no lead is insurmountable, and no matter where you're running, a good or bad result is never guaranteed until the checkered flag flies. For drivers who struggle to close out races, the three-and-a-half-hour slugfests of the NASCAR Cup Series often provide a reminder that finishing out good days is the most important thing a driver can do.

For Bubba Wallace, the Richmond Raceway has served as his adversary when trying to close out races in the top five. In the last two races at the track, Wallace has collected at least 12 stage points but has finished outside of the top 10 twice.

Last July, Wallace led 80 laps in what was one of 23XI Racing's best short track performances to date. He also earned 16 stage points, but after he and crew chief Bootie Barker failed to keep up with the changing track, he eventually faded to 12th.

On March 31, Wallace led two laps and collected 12 stage points, and was running inside the top-five in the closing laps. However, contact with Kyle Larson sent Larson around, and on the ensuing round of pit stops, Wallace's pit crew made a mistake, leading to a disappointing 13th-place finish after one of the best performances of Wallace's career.

In a crucial race for Wallace in the heat of the playoff bubble battle, both driver and crew must go into Sunday's Cook Out 400 at Richmond with one goal in mind: Finish the race.