Bubba Wallace rebounds with sixth-place run at North Wilkesboro

The roller coaster that Bubba Wallace says he ends up on during every NASCAR Cup Series season got to the crest of a hill and didn't suddenly drop Sunday at North Wilkesboro like it did last week at Atlanta. 

One week after a last-lap penalty relegated him from second to 29th, Wallace ran a clean 450 laps in the Window World 450 to finish a strong sixth. 

Wallace started 26th after qualifying was rained out on Saturday and only finished 21st in Stage 1, but a two-tire pit call from crew chief Charles Denike early in Stage 2 got Wallace track position that he wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the race. 

Wallace finished fourth in Stage 2 and ran as high as third in the race's second half before fading slightly over the evening's final run. Still, it was a much-needed good night for a No. 23 team that is 69 points above the Chase cut line with five races left in the regular season. 

Bubba Wallace happy with Wilkesboro run

"All in all, good night for our Coca-Cola team," Wallace told TNT. "No yellow-line infractions. We get to keep our finishing position. It sets us up nice for the Brickyard next week, which we have a lot of confidence and momentum going into one. Just another clean race. Clean races, we average finish around sixth to eighth."

Wallace goes into the July 26 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the defending winner of the crown jewel race.