NASCAR is a sport of a different nature. Blows and punches and intentional wrecks are not as alien to NASCAR as they would be in another motorsport. Another such incident took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway between Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace.
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On race night, Bubba was clearly the superior of the two drivers. He had the faster car and had been leading for 29 laps. In a matter of minutes, everything changed. Larson attempted a pass and in the process, slid onto Bubba’s Toyota.
Bubba, with the knowledge of his clearly superior car, did not lift. Kyle then slammed Bubba onto the track walls with his Chevy.
The 29-year-old followed Larson and wrecked him, in alleged retaliation. While the accused continues to argue it was not intentional but Larson and Christopher Bell deny his innocence. The matter however will not stop there as NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass suggests.
He said in a video on Twitter, “The big question will be will NASCAR penalize Bubba for it? NASCAR says they are going to look at everything. I think unless they see totalled his steering I think they’re gonna have to issue a penalty to Bubba.”
“I don’t know if they should suspend him, I don’t recommend suspending him. But certainly, a fine and points would be justified. For two reasons, that was a pretty dangerous hook and we can’t have that at a track like this. And also don’t forget that Larson’s team is in the owner’s playoffs and that impacts that… Certainly looks intentional and I do think NASCAR needs to react.”
The video is the only available evidence at the moment which looks very incriminating. Bubba will be hoping NASCAR can find through their inquiry that his steering was gone, otherwise he will have to suffer a big penalty.
What has Bubba Wallace said in defense of himself?
Bubba has been consistent in arguing his innocence. He has been receiving a lot of flak ever since that incident took place.
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He said after the race, “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. 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. He knows what he did was wrong. He wanted to question what I was doing, and he never cleared me.”
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Wallace has finally gotten to the front of the pack. He will be hoping his progress is not hampered by the result of this incident’s investigation.