[autotag]Alex Bowman[/autotag] accidentally spun out [autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag] before the red flag for weather, and the 23XI Racing driver showed his displeasure. After Bowman shocked the NASCAR world and won at the Chicago Street Course, Wallace drove to him and slammed the No. 48 car into the wall with its window net down. NASCAR will review the incident and announce any penalties this week.
Following the event, Bowman was asked about Wallace’s retaliation after the event and gave his take on whether he should receive a penalty or not. Bowman doesn’t think NASCAR should do anything about it.
“Yeah, I’d do that, too,” Bowman said. “I ruined [Bubba Wallace]’s day. We had a really — the restart was chaotic. I just made every wrong decision I possibly could, and I was fighting with my windshield wiper switch trying to get the thing working, and I couldn’t get it working, and I was focused on that, missed the corner, and cleaned him out. I locked all four tires up and slid right into him. I just messed up and absolutely ruined his day.”
BUBBA WALLACE DOORSLAMMED ALEX BOWMAN. 😳
The No. 48 spun the No. 23 earlier in the race. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/C9GP93C4zC
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 8, 2024
“I’m pretty hard on myself when I make mistakes like that, and I’ve been embarrassed about it since it happened. The rain delay was just a lot of me sitting there being embarrassed and being mad at myself. He has every right to be mad; I’d be mad, too. I tried to call him during the rain delay, and I shot him a text. Nothing I can do to make it better, and I’m sure us winning probably only makes it worse…No, he barely hit me. It was fine, and it was plenty deserved.”
It’s unlikely that NASCAR would give Wallace a points penalty since it was after the race, but a fine shouldn’t be ruled out. The driver of the No. 23 car has a track record after being suspended one race for internationally right rear hooking Kyle Larson in 2022. Bowman is OK with letting Wallace go without a penalty, but it’s ultimately in NASCAR’s hands now.
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