Bubba Wallace got into a scuffle with reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson after a crash Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Watch the heated moment and get more details inside…
[UPDATE]:
Reflection. pic.twitter.com/ZpamWzjZJR
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) October 17, 2022
Bubba Wallace apologized Monday night (Oct. 17th) for his actions after his on-track incident with Kyle Larson in Sunday’s Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday following the on-track incident with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 car,” Bubba wrote in a statement posted to his Twitter account. “My behavior does not align with the core values that are shared by 23XI Racing and our partners, who have played a crucial role in my incredible journey to the top of this great sport. I want to apologize to NASCAR and the fans, along with Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Toyota for putting them in a situation in the Playoffs that they do not deserve.
“I compete with immense passion, and with passion at times comes frustration. Upon reflecting, I should have represented our partners and core team values better than I did by letting my frustrations follow me outside of the car. You live and learn, and I intend to learn from this.”
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Tensions boiled over between NASCAR race car driver Bubba Wallace and the reigning NASCAR champion, and the situation almost ended in blows.
On Sunday, Bubba Wallace (driver of the #45 McDonald’s Toyota) got into it with race car driver Kyle Larson (driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The drama started in Stage 2 of the South Point 400. Bubba, who won Stage 1, was racing side-by-side with Kyle in Turn 4 of the racetrack when it appeared Kyle bumped Bubba into the wall around the corner.
ESPN breaks it down further:
Wallace then bounced back down the track, followed Larson’s car down to the apron and appeared to deliberately hook him in retaliation. That sent Larson spinning into the path of Christopher Bell, who won last Sunday at Charlotte to earn the automatic berth into the round of eight, and ended Bell’s race.
After the crash, Bubba felt he needed to let Kyle know what he did was wrong. So, he hopped out of his vehicle to address him.
Wallace climbed from his car and marched toward Larson. Wallace was shouting before he even got to Larson and immediately began to shove the smaller driver. Larson tried to turn away from him and several times lifted his arms to block Wallace’s shoves, but Wallace got in multiple shots before a NASCAR safety worker separated the two.
Watch how the crash happened below:
And here’s Bubba popping off on Kyle after the crash:
Bubba Wallace is NOT HAPPY with Kyle Larson.
Some pushes and shoves after they wreck. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/aaAn0idrJp
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 16, 2022
Later, Bubba spoke to a reporter to explain his side of the story after his heated run-in with Kyle.
”I’m smart enough to know how easily these cars break, so when you get shoved into the fence deliberately like he did trying to force me to lift, the steering was gone,” Bubba said. “Larson wanted to make a three-wide divebomb, but he never cleared me and I don’t lift. “I know I’m kind of new to running up front, but I don’t lift. I wasn’t even at a spot to lift and he never lifted, either, and now we’re junk. Just [very bad] move of his execution.”
Asked what message he was trying to send to Larson when he began shoving him, Bubba responded, “He knows. He knows what he did was wrong. He wanted to question what I was doing, and he never cleared me.”
Watch his post-race interview below:
Whew. He was UPSET!
After the race, Kyle said he wasn’t surprised Bubba hooked him.
“I obviously made an aggressive move into [turn] three, got in low, got loose and chased it up a bit,” Kyle said. “He got to my right front, and it got him tight and into the wall. I knew he was going to retaliate. He had a reason to be mad, but his race wasn’t over until he retaliated.
“It is what it is. Just aggression turned into frustration and he retaliated.”
Thoughts?
Got shoved immediately after this pic…
All love homie, thanks for stopping by @tae15adams pic.twitter.com/tpdNzMxaII
— Bubba Wallace (@BubbaWallace) October 16, 2022
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