Bubba Wallace grew frustrated with his spotter after being overwhelmed with information during stage one of the race. The Food City 500 was a chaotic event that saw tire wear play a crucial role in determining the outcome. The dominant force was Joe Gibbs Racing, with their top-notch cars and drivers making the right decisions. The No:11 Camry driver emerged victorious after skillfully navigating through a tough battle with his teammate in the final laps. The Legacy MC Toyota’s also showcased their speed on Sunday.
Meanwhile, TRD team 23XI Racing had a disappointing day, finishing outside the top-25. Driver secured 29th place, while managed 30th place. Their struggles were attributed to tire management issues and car set-up problems. 23XI Racing was disappointed with how the race unfolded, especially when compared to their fellow TRD drivers.
Right from the start, the No:23 Toyota Camry driver had a rough day, leading him to curse at his spotter on lap one. Bubba Wallace expressed his frustration with Freddie Kraft, asking him to stop bombarding him with information. He shared this incident during the Door Bumper Clear Podcast, where he serves as a co-host. The guest on the show was 23XI’s Reddick.
Due to the extreme tire wear, drivers had to make frequent pit stops throughout the race. NASCAR and Goodyear were unprepared for such severe tire degradation and did not have enough tires to provide to the teams towards the end of the event.
During the race, Bubba Wallace’s crew chief also informed him about the tire situation. His response was quite amusing, as he jokingly requested NASCAR to red flag the race and postpone it to Monday once they had gathered enough tires.
Looking ahead, Wallace now needs to shift his focus to the upcoming race at COTA. It is unlikely that he will be a contender for the win, but he must strive for the best possible finish in the first road course race of the 2024 season.
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