NASCAR insider flags Bubba Wallace's playoff chances after brake issue at Pocono dropped 23XI racer by 2 spots

Bubba Wallace's 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff campaign took a hit as a sudden brake failure at Pocono Raceway forced the 23XI driver into the wall and out of the race before the halfway point.

The incident, which echoed similar issues for his 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Riley Herbst, dropped Wallace two positions in the driver standings and cast fresh doubt over his postseason hopes with nine races left in the regular season.

NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck summed up the day on The Teardown podcast:

"Now you even look at Bubba Wallace, somebody that's come into the conversation here because he lost two spots when his brake rotor failed, as Riley Herbst did, and then also Tyler Reddick had to come in the garage to make sure that that wasn't going to happen to him. So 23XI goes 32nd, 36th, 37th today." (21:15 onwards)

17 races into the 2025 Cup Series have produced 11 different winners. Bubba Wallace, who entered the Pocono weekend sitting 10th in points, started on the back foot. Unapproved adjustments after qualifying relegated his No. 23 Toyota to the rear of the field.

What followed was worse. A Lap 56 right-front tire failure caused by a broken brake rotor sent Wallace's car hard into the Turn 2 wall. He retired on Lap 62 and was later evaluated and released from the infield care center. But the damage to his playoff campaign was far more lasting.

All three 23XI Racing Toyotas faced major setbacks at Pocono. Rookie Riley Herbst also exited early after a similar brake-related issue on Lap 43. Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick, who showed top-five pace in Stage 1, pitted during a green flag cycle due to braking concerns and ultimately finished 32nd.

The mechanical missteps turned a promising team-wide weekend into a complete unraveling, with Wallace officially finishing 36th. He was left to "apologize to the racing gods" after the race.

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2025 Playoff picture tightens as Bubba Wallace clings to slim margin

Bubba Wallace blows a tire during the NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono- Source: Getty

Before Pocono, Bubba Wallace had built a solid case for a playoff spot with six top-10 finishes, including strong showings at Michigan and Martinsville. But he's also posted four finishes outside the top 30. Sunday's DNF further disrupted his rhythm that has come to define his 2025 campaign.

He currently sits just 29 markers above the cutline. That margin, already fragile, looks increasingly perilous given the pattern of new winners. The Cup Series has seen six first-time winners in the last eight weeks, shrinking the number of remaining playoff spots that can be claimed on points alone. As Gluck noted on The Teardown:

"Bubba (Wallace) is now only what - 29 points to the good, where he was having a really solid consistent season. So suddenly there's five spots left on points, and you suddenly go, 'Wow, the time is running out here'. With more road courses, more superspeedways, there is probably going to be more different winners... even if you're Bubba or Chris Buescher, people like that, it's definitely nervous time." (21:40 onwards)

The broader playoff picture reflects Gluck's concern. Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell lead the playoff chart with three wins each. Behind them, eight drivers have all secured their postseason spots with one win each.

Among those without a win, Chase Elliott and Tyler Reddick have healthy cushions (+160 and +107 over the cutline, respectively). Chris Buescher, 14th in the standings, holds a 38-point advantage. Below Wallace, Alex Bowman clings to 16th with a 20-point gap over Ryan Preece, while AJ Allmendinger (-59), Erik Jones (-62), and Kyle Busch (-63) remain within striking distance.

And if the wave of first-time winners continues, Bubba Wallace may soon find that points alone won't be enough to save his 2025 campaign.