Bubba Wallace faces starting from back at Pocono after qualifying issue, as his No. 23 car failed to get on track during Saturday’s crucial session at Pocono Raceway. While teammate Denny Hamlin secured pole position, Wallace was unable to attempt a qualifying lap and now faces a daunting task to recover in Sunday’s race.
Unexpected Technical Failure Derails Qualifying
At Pocono Raceway, Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing added to his legacy by clinching pole—a place where he has historically dominated. Meanwhile, Wallace, racing for 23XI Racing, ran into trouble at the worst possible time: his toyota/”>Toyota refused to start before he could leave pit road for qualifying. Even with urgent work by the pit crews to bump-start the car, the ignition problem remained unsolved. As time ran out, Wallace was immobile inside his vehicle, watching his opportunity for a strong starting spot slip away.
Other drivers, including A.J. Allmendinger and Todd Gilliland, at least managed to get on track, posting slow times after shaky runs, but Wallace never left the pits. The mechanical mishap now means he must climb from the rear of the grid—an especially tough challenge at the notoriously tricky Pocono circuit.
Wallace’s Track Record and the Mountain Ahead
Pocono Raceway, nicknamed the Tricky Triangle, has recently favored Wallace. Over his last four races there, he’s claimed three top-10 finishes and even notched a top-five prior to the Next Gen car era. Since his move to 23XI Racing in 2021, Wallace hasn’t finished worse than 14th at Pocono, and with Toyota showing strong pace lately, prospects seemed bright until this unexpected failure intervened.
Team owner Denny Hamlin voiced support despite the setback.
“I’m confident it’s not something the team did; it’s just one of those mechanical things where the anvil fell on your [head] this time. It happens to others as well. It’s very easy for drivers and teams to get down about their bad luck, but everyone has it, and usually washes itself out over time.”
—Denny Hamlin, team owner
Hamlin also viewed the team’s playoff ambitions optimistically, stating,
“I think they are running fast enough to be a playoff car, and a lot of that is going to depend on who jumps up on the wild card races over the next 10 weeks, but I feel confident the 23 team will be a part of it.”
—Denny Hamlin, team owner
Can a Comeback Happen From the Back?
There is precedent for dramatic turnarounds, even from the lowest starting positions. Earlier this NASCAR season, Ross Chastain demonstrated that an early setback isn’t fate, powering from last place to victory at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This example underscores why Wallace and 23XI Racing can still view this Pocono setback as a challenge—one not without hope.
Wallace currently holds 10th in the overall standings with 411 points, after collecting three top-five finishes and six top-10s in 16 races. Although facing a steep challenge at Pocono, Wallace remains in strong contention for a playoff berth, provided he can maintain form and shake off mechanical misfortune. With the season’s climax still ahead and recent success at Pocono in his favor, all eyes will be on Wallace to see whether he can fight back and keep his championship dreams alive.
