08/13/2016
Wallace Finishes 15th at Mid-Ohio
LEXINGTON, Ohio (Aug. 13, 2016) – Roush Fenway Racing’s Bubba Wallace had a strong Roush Performance Ford Mustang, working his way to the front of the field on multiple occasions and leading seven laps during the rain-drenched event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Unfortunately, heavy rains, low visibility and a few off-course excursions toward the end of the race resulted in a 15th-place finish for Wallace and the No. 6 team.
Wallace advanced to the final round of qualifying on Friday evening in his No. 6 Mustang, ultimately earning a 10th-place starting position for the 75-Lap race at the 2.4-mile road course. The field took one lap under green flag conditions before the caution was displayed for rain. On Lap 3, Wallace made his way down pit road for four rain tires and fuel.
Wallace restarted in seventh, and began to work his way toward the front of the field. By Lap 27, Wallace was battling for the lead while rain continued to soak the track. While fighting for position, Wallace ran off the course, dropping to 10th, before making his way to pit road to clean grass and gravel from the grille and brake duct openings, along with adding Sunoco fuel.
Wallace returned to the track in 27th, but as green flag pit stops began to cycle through, quickly found himself back toward the front of the running order, cracking into the top-five by Lap 36.
On Lap 40, crew chief Seth Barbour brought his driver back down pit road to put ‘slick’ tires back on, as the rain had stopped and the track was beginning to dry. As his competitors visited pit road to do the same, Wallace again landed in the top-five.
During a caution period starting on Lap 49, rain began to come down. With heavy rain an issue, Barbour called his driver back down pit road to put rain tires back on, along with topping off on fuel.
Wallace restarted sixth on Lap 55 and gained four spots before the caution flag waved again. While riding under caution in second-place, the leader spun out due to the slick track conditions, with Wallace then inheriting the lead.
Wallace would hold the lead for seven laps, before running off course on Lap 64. The closing laps of the race brought more heavy rain and off-course excursions. Wallace would cross the finish line 15th in the Roush Performance Ford.
With the result, Wallace is ninth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series point standings, as the series travels to Bristol Motor Speedway next weekend.
