Bubba Wallace apologizes for attitude that led to post-race dustup, $50K fine
LONG POND, Penn. — A self-reflective Bubba Wallace apologized for his race-weekend attitude, an attitude that occasionally could be combative and one that resulted in a $50,000 fine this week after he door-slammed race-winner Alex Bowman following the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday on the Chicago street course.
It wasn't the worst penalty that Wallace has received from NASCAR — two years ago he got suspended for one race for turning Kyle Larson into the wall at high speed in retaliation at Las Vegas.
The incident Sunday occurred on the cool-down lap after the race as Wallace was angry with Bowman, who plowed into him early in the event, with Bowman taking the blame saying that he was distracted trying to get his windshield wiper to work.
The 30-year-old Wallace said Saturday at Pocono Raceway that he wouldn't appeal the fine and tried to put a positive spin on it.
"The penalty was probably the best thing that happened to me," Wallace said. "I've been miserable for years, walking around with a persona that I'm not proud of. I need to apologize to a lot of people. ... I'm just frustrated and trying way too hard and not focused on the right things."
The frustrations Wallace feels likely stem from both on and off the track. While he sits 15th in the overall point standings, he currently faces a likely must-win situation over the next six races to make the Cup Series playoffs. Competing for a 23XI Racing team co-owned by Michael Jordan, he is the only Black full-time driver at the NASCAR Cup Series level and his activism in 2020 has made him a polarizing figure with a heavy dose of boos often greeting him when introduced at nearly every Cup event.
A discussion earlier this week with former Cup driver and current FOX Sports analyst Kevin Harvick had an impact on Wallace.
"He told me to show up and be the fun-loving guy that I am throughout the week," Wallace said. "That has been one of the most important things told to me — that people don't see who I actually am on Sundays. That broke me because I always preach about being the same person on and off the racetrack.
"It's a pressure-cooker being at the Cup level. And the last four years I've been miserable just trying to walk around like everything's OK, ... just trying to carry this persona, ‘Hey, don't bother me right now, I'm too busy.' And then when one thing goes wrong, the whole thing crumbles."
Denny Hamlin, one of the top drivers in the Cup series who competes in Joe Gibbs Racing equipment while also co-owning the two-car 23XI Racing team, said the fact Wallace's door slam of Bowman was on live television made a difference in the relatively hefty fine.
"It being live and everyone seeing it, probably caused a little more of a social media uproar which then they responded to that," Hamlin said. "From the team's standpoint, ... it's a learning moment you try not to repeat."
Radioactive: Chicago Street Race – "(expletive) Denny!"
Bowman had advocated for Wallace not to be fined, that the hit was not the hard although his in-car camera showed the steering wheel coming out of his hands.
"The door-slam, the bump that Bowman said wasn't hard at all, for the people that for the last four or five years been wanting me out of the sport — those people don't really understand like when ... I've been putting my heart and soul into getting better and spending time with the team and in sim and trying to be better [on road courses]," Wallace said.
"Showing up at Chicago, that was our best road-course race ever. And to have that wiped out in two corners when the [rain] conditions change over messing with switches — we all know you don't mess switches in the smallest part of the track. When that's all ripped away, you feel some type of entitlement to show your frustration."
Wallace said he texted Monday with Bowman and that they are good.
"Did I time it wrong? Wallace said. "Sure, 100 percent. His window net was down, his seat belts were off, not an ideal situation.
"It's the guy that you're racing with in the points and then he goes on to win the race. It's like icing on the cake. It's just three or four slaps in the face when you're working your ass off to be better for the team and it's just ripped away. So not that I'm justifying it at all but I'm a passionate guy and I let my frustration get the best of me."
As a youngster, Wallace said his father always taught him to have an eye-for-an-eye mentality.
"I try not to start too much s---," Wallace said. "But I was just raised to end it. ... You punch me in the face. I punch you in the face. And then we shake hands after -- we're even.
"It only matters [to NASCAR] about the second punch. It's kind of bulls---, but it is what it is. So you've got to accept it and move on. And you know, honestly, I've been at peace this week."
All of these comments came after Wallace qualified in the 29th starting spot for the race Sunday.
"I did not have fun in qualifying—- I about crashed," Wallace said. "That sucked. It is what it is. Last week if this was right now, I'd be pissed off and didn't want to talk to you guys.
"But you know what? You roll with the punches, you roll with the $50,000 fine, you roll with the qualifying spot. And it is what it is. You've got another day to figure it out and go have fun pass a lot of cars and that's my mindset. ... Sorry to all you guys for being an asshole."
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
