Why did Bubba Wallace think that it was a good idea to flip the bird on national television? Was the gesture directed at the cameraperson, the reporter, the fans, or someone else? Well, looks like we finally have an answer to these burning questions. However, there is no need to be on the edge of the seat, as it seems that some NASCAR insiders feel that it isn’t as scandalous as it was portrayed to be.
In a recent episode of Door Bumper Clear, NASCAR spotter Brett Griffin revealed that the controversial gesture by Bubba Wallace was aimed at his PR person, who was apparently standing behind the camera. Explaining how it was just something Wallace did in the heat of the moment, Griffin, along with a FOX official, added that the media should ‘let it go.’
Brett Griffin suggests Bubba Wallace seeks training from Vince McMahon
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While discussing how Wallace evokes extreme responses among the fans, Griffin suggested the 23XI Racing driver should train with American businessman and professional wrestling executive Vince McMahon. Since the role of a ‘heel’ in WWE is to play the villain and instigate hatred among the crowd through any sort of socially unacceptable behavior, Griffin added,
“If I were Bubba Wallace, I would call Vince McMahon today, I’ll fly to Bristol…and I would say put me through 48 hours of training of how to be a heel. Because we’re to the point where Bubba is our biggest heel in NASCAR.”
However, Brett Griffin further explained that Wallace didn’t actually mean any harm by his gestures. He continued,
“But listen this middle finger was not toward the camera guy, it wasn’t toward FOX Sports, it wasn’t toward the fanbase, it was toward his PR person…Yeah, so let it go. It was just a caught-in-the-moment thing.”
And agreeing with him, Artie Kempner, Director of the FOX Coordinating department, said, “It was a funny (gesture). Let it go.”
WATCH THIS STORY: Days After Shoving His Boss, Bubba Wallace Leaves Denny Hamlin & NASCAR Fandom in Splits With His Riotous Golfing Antics
Brett Griffin breaks down the details of the incident
During his conversation with Kempner, Griffin revealed what he thinks happened with Wallace at North Wilkesboro. Sharing how Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, was not there to explain it, Griffin said,
“He was caught flipping the camera off yesterday. And I want to tell you guys … Bubba was in the process …just listen the guy just ran a race, the guy just finished second, he is bummed…most of the races second place is not great.
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Now the winner wins a million bucks and you win 7,5oo dollars. It sucks. Okay? So, he gets out of the car and he is trying to basically just chill out. Well, his PR guys in the background behind the camera basically making the motion of ‘Get your collar corrected so that we can have all of our brands displayed for this interview.”
Furthermore, he added that there are a lot of hand signals that go on between guys at the racetrack. However, he said that when the PR person asked Wallace to get his collar corrected, the exhausted driver must have “took the time to point his middle finger and to basically say F**k off! I’m ready, I just ran a race, I am mad.”
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Moreover, Griffin concluded his explanation by claiming that it was just Wallace’s personality and that he was just caught up in the heat of the moment.