When Ty Gibbs arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25 and took over the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing challenger for the Xfinity race, fans were left baffled. While the official statement from JGR implied that the replacement was a “team decision,” many believed there was more than met the eye. Fast-forward to the end of June, and veteran insider Jordan Bianchi shed light on the mystery.

Following an altercation with 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace during a TRD briefing, Aric Almirola was reported to have been suspended “indefinitely” for being the aggressor. However, as per recent reports, the suspension will end in July. But just when you thought Coach Gibbs could finally catch a break after having so much on his plate, a JGR hauler truck had a run-in with the law en route to Nashville.

A series of unfortunate events: The Joe Gibbs Racing edition

Joe Gibbs Racing may still be one of the most dominant teams in the Cup Series, but Lady Luck just doesn’t seem to be favoring the Coach’s side off-track lately. Starting with Martin Truex Jr.’s retirement, JGR has been facing a string of dilemmas ever since. A while later, Christopher Bell leaked the news of “Chase” [Briscoe] signing to the #19, prompting JGR to go into damage limitation mode with media briefings. And shortly after, one of the team’s motorhomes went ablaze at New Hampshire Motor Speedway post-midnight.

With all the cards falling out of Coach Gibbs’ hands, the last thing he needed was for fans to catch wind of the #20 JGR hauler truck getting pulled over. Taking to Reddit, a keen observer shared with the community: “Saw a hauler get pulled over on I-40 near Knoxville.” 

The attached photo showed a black hauler with Toyota Racing Development branding and the #20 in the Joe Gibbs Racing font parked on the shoulder. Right behind the hauler, what appeared to be a State Trooper coming out of an unmarked SUV could be seen walking toward the hauler.

Through the years, NASCAR haulers have gained notoriety for exceeding the usually 55-mile-an-hour speed limit. With fans consistently stating that these haulers drive above 80 miles an hour on their way to the next race, speeding could have been a likely reason for the traffic stop. Not long ago, a Stewart-Haas Racing hauler was involved in a highway accident. More such news has made its way to the mainstream recently, hence the infamous image for haulers.

That said, what caught the eyes of NASCAR fans more so was the fact that the hauler belonged to Aric Almirola’s Xfinity garage. Naturally, one could hardly gauge the sheer number of ‘Bubba Wallace vs Aric Almirola’ jokes that came from the encounter.

Fans pull no punches (no pun intended) against Aric Almirola and JGR’s misery

Trending

Joey Logano Bursts Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Roger Penske-Hailie Deegan Bubble in 1-Word

Roger Penske Could Be a Potential Roadblock for NASCAR’s Fan-Favorite Duo as Josh Berry Leaves the Legend Behind

$50,000 Lighter, Carson Hocevar Publicly Trashed by Cup Star’s Livid Wife Amidst New Controversial Detail

“You Get Judged So Harshly”: SVG Bluntly Trashes Supercars’ Lack of ‘Personality’ to Hail NASCAR’s Passion

“Can’t Run Three Laps”- Infuriated Kyle Petty Publicly Tears Into ‘Greatest Drivers’ of NASCAR’s Nashville Controversy

After the fan shared the post on Reddit alongside the image, a majority of the community immediately connected the Hauler being pulled over to Almirola’s indefinite suspension. After all, the recent revelation by Jordan Bianchi, which read, “The exact reason for the dispute is unknown, but those sources said the team viewed Almirola as the instigator,” split fans for and against Almirola, with many believing that Bubba Wallace was truly innocent this time around.

This wasn’t the first time Wallace was involved in a physical altercation. Remember Las Vegas 2022, where he had a run-in with Kyle Larson on track? In a “dangerous act” of retaliation, the 23XI driver wrecked the #5 car, following which he also approached and physically fought Larson, throwing punches at the HMS driver. Wallace was suspended for one race after that entire incident. But this time around, it looks like he was on the receiving end of the punches.

So, seeing the picture of the pulled-over hauler, a hilarious Redditor felt the State patrol may also be secretive 23XI Racing fans, wanting to know if their favorite driver was really in an altercation. One user joked, “Trooper must be a Bubba [Wallace] fan,” whereas another surmised what the Trooper may have said: “Hey, just a quick question. Is the rumor true one of your drivers punched Bubba?” 

The funny part is that Bubba Wallace denied claims of any brawl during his interviews in Charlotte. When everyone realized Aric Almirola wouldn’t be driving the #20 JGR car in the Xfinity race, Bob Pockrass asked Wallace if the altercation was the reason. His response? “Who said that? No, we’ve had our disagreements before, but damn, that’s crazy.” Well, as it so happens, the “crazy” did happen, and Aric Almirola won’t be off the hook with ease.

Although Jordan Bianchi’s report suggested the 40-year-old will return for the July 20 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a user chimed in, “Bro wanted info on the Almirola suspension.” This caused another Redditor to take the banter one step further with their wordplay: “Troopers indefinitely suspended the hauler for a little bit.” Considering the fight happened in the days leading up to May 25, the “indefinite” suspension will last less than 2 months if July 20 is, in fact, Almirola’s return date.

While not much was revealed surrounding Bubba Wallace and Aric Almirola’s altercation, it’s safe to say animosity between the two had been brewing for a while. After being reported as the instigator, the 40-year-old’s image as a driver who steers clear of altercations and fights has changed for many. A user commented, “Almirola wanted to fight again.” Still, some fans of the veteran tried their best to defend the #20 driver: “My man Almirola did NOTHING wrong!”

Looking at how Aric Almirola just can’t catch a break, do you think fans are perhaps being too harsh on the veteran? Or has the run-in with Bubba Wallace truly changed his reputation?