Bubba Wallace crash with brake rotor issue, gets DNF

• Bubba Wallace crashed out of the NASCAR Pocono race after a tire blowout.
• A metal object appeared to puncture Wallace’s tire, causing the crash.

Bubba Wallace’s struggles continued on June 22 when he blew out a tire, hit the wall and made an early exit in the NASCAR Pocono race.

It marked the fifth time in the last nine races Wallace has finished outside the top 25. He was 26th last week at Mexico City.

A brake rotor, came from beneath Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota Camry on Lap 54 and appeared to puncture his right front tire. After the blow out Wallace slammed into the wall and then exited the race.

“I was going to battle (Chris Buescher) into (turn) 2,” Wallace told a Amazon Prime Video reporter. “By the time I was going to touch the (brake) pedal it just went to the floor. The brakes exploded. I hate it.”

Wallace also had trouble on June 21 when he could not get his car started for qualifying. He started 33rd. He finished the race 36th, one spot ahead of Riley Herbst.

“This weekend sucked outside of practice, but that pays nothing,” Wallace said.

Wallace was evaluated and released from the infield care center.

Wallace is one of three drivers that have had similar tire issues potentially caused by brake rotors. Herbst and Michael McDowell have had flat tire issues as well.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.