Bubba Wallace led 112 of 267 laps in Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark 400 at the Texas Motor Speedway. With scoring his second career pole on Saturday and his first top five finish on the 1.5-mile track in 9 tries, you’d think he’d be happy with a third place result in his No. 23 Toyota.

However, he felt like he let one get away from him though. I don’t blame him. It’s not many days you get chances like the one that Wallace had in the Round of 12 opener on a hot steamy North Texas afternoon.

Wallace dominated the first stage but a late caution for Kyle Busch crashing in Turn 2 brought a lot of the leaders down pit road. He gave up a stage win for track position in the second stage. He’d score one stage point.

In the second stage, he had a great car but faded some and would finish ninth. Wallace got track position back and had a top 5 car for the rest of the way. It was looking more and more like Kyle Larson was going to win the race though as he held a 5 second lead in the closing laps.

Then JJ Yeley brought out a late caution with 25 laps remaining. With tires not meaning much, Larson elected to say out. 2nd place (Erik Jones), 3rd place (Denny Hamlin) and 5th place (Chris Buescher) all pit. Wallace, who was running in fourth, stayed out.

He would restart alongside of Larson on the front row. With getting a great launch, the battle was on. Wallace would try to stay outside of Larson and it worked. With 19 laps remaining, Larson lost control of his No. 5 Chevrolet entering Turn 1 while running inside of Wallace. He narrowly missed Wallace giving the lead now and the race win in Wallace’s sights.

With 2 late race restarts, Wallace chose to restart on the outside. The final restart, William Byron and Ross Chastain got the better of Wallace pushing him down to third at the finish.

“Third time I fooled myself starting on top,” he admitted. “These guys gave me the right information. 14 was tight and he sent it off in there. Wasn’t going to stick, but that’s what he’s going to do. We’re racing for a win. I just hate it. I should have just kept my line into 3, and forced William to get tight. But we’re so vulnerable in these cars, right.”

Wallace blamed himself. He was dejected when it was all said and done.

“Just upset with myself,” he continued. “Really needed a win there, and it was a good showing. I don’t know where that puts us. I don’t really care. But I know what I did and I choked.”

Wallace leaves Texas -2 heading to Talladega next Sunday. It’s the site of his first career win in this very race in 2021. Then, it’s to the ROVAL to where Wallace has finished 37th, 17th, 31st, 18th and 12th on road courses this season.

That’s why he was so tough on himself for not securing Sunday’s race win. It would have put him in the Round of 8. Now, he has to capitalize next Sunday.