03/22/2015
Wallace Runs Up Front And Finishes 12th After Late-Race Restart
FONTANA, Calif. (March 22, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing’s Bubba Wallace ran in the top-five for the majority of Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Auto Club Speedway, before contact on a late-race restart dropped the No. 6 Roush Performance Mustang back in the field, ultimately finishing 12th.
“We’ll have to go on to Texas,” said Wallace. “The guys brought me a great race car for sure, because we were running second. Harvick was a little bit better than us, but all-around it was a great performance by my guys and the whole Roush Fenway camp, so we’ll just go to Texas and have some fun.”
Wallace lined up 17th to start the 150-Lap, 300-Mile race at Auto Club Speedway. From the drop of the green, the rookie showed just how fast his Roush Performance Mustang was. By Lap 6, Wallace had advanced five positions to 12th.
The driver of the No. 6 remained in 12th for the opening green flag run, informing his crew that his Mustang needed more stability on entry. Crew chief Chad Norris called Wallace down pit road on Lap 34, during the first caution period of the day. The No. 6 team changed four tires and added fuel, along with track bar and wedge adjustments to help the handling.
A quick pit stop propelled Wallace into seventh for the restart. On the ensuing green flag run, Wallace methodically worked his way through the field, advancing to fifth by the time the caution flag flew again on Lap 47.
On the following restart on Lap 51, Wallace began to work his way through the pack again. Within three laps, Wallace’s No. 6 Mustang was at the front of the pack. After leading Lap 54, Wallace settled into second for the remainder of the run.
As green flag pit stops began cycling through, Wallace visited pit road on Lap 78 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Wallace found himself in third after green flag pit stops finished cycling.
Wallace held strong in third-place, telling Norris that he was happy with the handling of his Mustang overall, but wanted more rear stability in both corners. When Wallace visited pit road for the final time of the day, Norris called for four tires, fuel and a minor track bar adjustment.
The No. 6 Ford Mustang lined up third for the final restart of the day on Lap 121. After close racing, Wallace’s spotter came over the radio to inform the team that the Mustang had sustained some damage. The contact dropped Wallace back in the field, ultimately ending the day in 12th.
With the finish, Wallace is fifth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series point standings as the series heads into two consecutive off weekends, before resuming action at Texas Motor Speedway.
NEXT UP:
O’Reilly Auto Parts 300
1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway
Fort Worth, Texas
Friday, April 10, 2015
8:30 p.m. ET on FOXSPORTS1 and PRN
