09/20/2015
Wallace Earns Career-Best Third-Place Finish in Chicago
JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 19, 2015) – Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 6 Roush Performance Ford Mustang, recorded a career-best third-place finish on Saturday night in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.
“Yeah, this is a great night for us,” said Wallace after the race. “It is really a win for us. We played it close on fuel. (Crew chief) Seth (Barbour) said we were good with seven to go but I wasn’t pushing it too hard and they started hounding on me the last few laps and I am glad that I listened because we ran out in the middle of three and four. Hats off to this whole No. 6 Roush Performance team. That was a great call and I couldn’t be happier with this third tonight in Chicago.”
Wallace took the green flag for the 200-lap event from the 12th position after advancing into the third round of knockout qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Wallace didn’t stay in 12th for long as he cracked the top-10 for the first time just prior to a Lap 21 caution period. After getting shuffled back to 14th on the ensuing restart, Wallace settled in to his top 15 track position until a green flag pit stop on Lap 73 saw the No. 6 Roush Performance Ford move up to eighth.
Wallace maintained his top-10 position until a Lap 131 caution gave the Roush Fenway Racing driver a chance to pit for fresh tires and a chassis adjustment. Returning to the track in eighth, crew chief Seth Barbour utilized a quick caution just five laps after the restart on Lap 141 to keep Wallace out on the race track for track position.
The plan worked as Wallace took the Lap 147 restart as the race leader. After battling for a handful of laps with Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth,
the fresher tires prevailed and Wallace slid back to the fifth position. As the run wore on, Wallace maneuvered his way back up to fourth.
In the closing stages, Wallace climbed up to the third position with crew chief Barbour reminding him to continue to save fuel. While coasting on fumes, Wallace was able to bring the No. 6 Roush Performance Ford home with a career-best third-place finish.
Next up for the NASCAR XFINITY Series is Kentucky Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 26.
NEXT UP:
1.5-Mile Kentucky Speedway
Sparta, Kentucky
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015
8:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN and PRN
RACE SUMMARY
Bubba Wallace
Started: 12th
Finished: Third
