The NASCAR community is focused on potential penalties for Bubba Wallace following his outburst after the Grant Park 165 in Chicago on Sunday. Wallace collided with Alex Bowman’s car during the cool-down lap, shortly after Bowman had lowered his window netting and raised his visor, causing the 48 car to momentarily hit the wall.
Will NASCAR hand down a punishment for Wallace, like it did when Carson Hocevar intentionally bumped Harrison Burton while under caution a week prior? Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t sure if a punishment is merited, but he was clear on one thing.
Drivers need the freedom to respond like Bubba Wallace did.
“After the race, I’m OK if Bubba goes up there and hits the 48,” Earnhardt Jr. said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. “And I’m OK if somebody goes after Chase (Elliott) or Chase goes after somebody. And if they want to fine them, that’s fine. I don’t care. I don’t think the drivers mind too much. Five, $10, $15 grand.
“Don’t take points away. Don’t truly deter this, because this s*** is what racing’s about.”
Bubba Wallace was frustrated because Bowman had earlier made an error that caused Wallace to spin out. This resulted in Wallace’s car taking significant damage, losing substantial track positioning, and ultimately ruining his race.
Bowman later apologized and even suggested that NASCAR should not penalize Bubba Wallace for the post-race incident. Earnhardt Jr. also believes that minor collisions like this are sometimes justified and shouldn’t be met with severe penalties.
Now there is a line. There is a line where it’s too egregious, too aggressive, too dangerous, and you’ve got to know as a driver where that’s at and not to cross it,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “But these type of things for me is kind of in our DNA. It’s like the gloves coming off at the hockey match and a couple of guys getting an opportunity to throw a few punches before the refs finally come in and go, ‘All right, enough. The fans have seen enough.’
“I draw the line if someone ends up facing the wrong direction. That’s crossing it.”
Bowman wasn’t significantly affected by the bump into the wall on Sunday, aside from being a bit startled. He even acknowledged that the contact was justified given the earlier incidents in the race.
Earnhardt Jr. believes that some contact adds a healthy element to the sport, and that’s where Wallace’s bump falls. However, NASCAR still planned to review the incident for a possible penalty.
That needs to be able to happen,” he said. “Those things like that, drivers need to be able to do those things, right or wrong. I’m not saying they’re right choices. I’m not saying it’s what the driver should do. But the drivers need to be able to have a little bit of a jab or two, some flexibility.”
