Bubba Wallace, who has never before made the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, sits 32 points ahead of his nearest competition in the final post-season spot currently.
The pressure is high for the 23XI Racing driver, who admitted that Daytona will be "stressful as hell."
A strong run on Saturday would solidify his points cushion, but none of that matters if one of the 16 full-time drivers below him in the standings manages to win the race.
Austin Dillon did just that last year. In the 2020 regular season finale, William Byron secured his place in the post-season with his first career win at Daytona as well.
Now, if there were to be a repeat winner, then Wallace only need worry about scoring enough points to keep Ty Gibbs (-32) and Daniel Suarez (-43) at bay.
Even with zero stage points, if Wallace finishes 13th or higher, he will be safe as long as there are no new winners.
Wallace has proven to be a capable superspeedway racer himself, twice finishing second in the Daytona 500 and earning his maiden Cup win at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021.
Source: Autosport