Frustrated Bubba Wallace fails to run qualifying lap after 2nd fast in practice at Pocono

Bubba Wallace seemed to have Lady Luck on his side at Pocono Raceway. He was the second-fastest wheelman in practice, but then it came time for qualifying.

His No. 23 Toyota wouldn’t fire. That meant Wallace didn’t even get a chance to make a lap, ruining what would’ve been a solid shot at sitting on the front row in Pennsylvania. Now, he’ll have to start from the back.

In the meantime, Denny Hamlin won the pole. Pocono has always been a good track for him, but Toyota as a whole has really taken over the past couple of years. Everything was working to Wallace’s advantage, before his car quit on him.

Now, it’ll be up to his team to fix whatever hampered Wallace in qualifying before tomorrow’s race. He’s been solid at Pocono over the past couple of seasons, never finishing below P14 since joining 23XI Racing during the 2021 season.

A win would be nice for Bubba Wallace, and now it’d be an even better story if he got it done at Pocono. He’s having a solid season regardless, currently P10 in the overall point standings, with six top tens and three top fives in 2025. Unfortunately, he has five DNFs though.

More on Bubba Wallace, NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono

Last season, Ryan Blaney was able to best the field and win in the mountains. Who will get the win at Pocono this time around? FanDuel Sportsbook provided a full list of odds for this weekend’s Great American Getaway 400.

Denny Hamlin is the pole-sitter, and he’s going off as the favorite at +500. He decided to remain stateside last weekend, not racing in Mexico City, instead staying in the United States to stay with his fiancee, who gave birth to their son earlier in the week. 

As he gets back behind the wheel, Hamlin returns at one of his best tracks on the schedule. He’s won multiple times at Pocono, including in 2023. He came close last season as well, finishing as the runner-up to Blaney.

Elsewhere, wheelmen like Kyle Larson (+750), the aforementioned Blaney (+800) and William Byron (+850) make up the other favorites. Bubba Wallace is going off at +3100, but who knows if that’ll change following his frustrating Saturday afternoon.

One thing is for sure, the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway should provide fans with some exciting action on Sunday afternoon, as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the North East in Pennsylvania.