Kyle Larson in the No. 5 Nascar Chevy Camaro ZL1 was on the receiving end of a rather aggressive retaliatory act from Bubba Wallace in the No. 45 Toyota TRD Camry after the two had a run-in at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16th, 2022. On October 18th, Nascar announced that Wallace will be suspended for one race as a result of his actions.
During the race, Larson’s No. 5 Camaro got loose and chased Wallace’s No. 45 Camry up the track, forcing Wallace into the wall. Larson immediately drove down the track, away from Wallace, who peeled his No. 45 Camry off the wall and immediately sent it down the track and intentionally slammed into the side of Larson’s No. 5 Camaro. Both race cars then spun, collecting the No. 20 Camry of Christopher Bell. Wallace exited his No. 45 Camry and walked across the track to confront Larson, shoving the driver of the No. 5 Camaro several times.
Nascar found Wallace’s actions of being in violation of Sections 4.3.A and 4.4.C & E of the Nascar Member Code of Conduct, which refer to penalties resulting from “intentionally wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result.” Wallace has been suspended from the next Cup Series event, which will occur at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 23rd. Truck Series regular John Hunter Nemechek will drive the No. 45 Camry in his place.
“When we look at drivers historically, it’s been very rare if ever that we suspend drivers, so we don’t take that action lightly,” Steve O’Donnell, Nascar’s chief operating officer, said. “We view our penalties from what has to happen at the race track. It’s a driver-driven sport. Obviously, everybody’s very important to what takes place in the sport… we thought [Wallace’s actions] definitely crossed the line and that’s what we focused on in terms of making this call.”
In an interview, Wallace initially said that he had lost steering in the No. 45 Camry and slammed into Larson’s No. 5 Nascar Chevy as a result. He has since issued an apology on social media.
“I’m sure with everything going on he’ll know he made a mistake in the retaliation part,” Larson stated in an interview after the incident. “I’m sure he’ll think twice about it next time.”
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy news, Nascar news, GM motorsports news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Well, what can you expect?
Well deserved. NASCAR’s darling was totally out of control. Going after a guy half his size. Ignoring officials and walking so far across the track where cars and trucks were traveling. Causing an innocent driver to crash out of race. Total fool.
“Bubba” was ONLY suspended for one race while previous suspensions have been handed down by NASCAR for this deliberate wrecking for three races. Not hard to figure this one out ! Fair and impartial ?
Bubba Wallace – 6-part series about the “noose” coming to Netflix
Considering the suspension that Matt Kenseth got for crashing into Joey Logano and considering that Wallace’s actions resulted in taking out a playoff contender (which will likely result in his elimination from any final four appearance); this one race suspension is cowardly weak. On the face of it, there appears to be alot of political incorrect undertones to this story, what with the “manufactured racist-hanging noose story” that turned out to be a total fraud a couple years ago. And that my friends, is going to completely alienate those fans sitting on the fence whether to keep their focus on Nascar; or just go outside and rake the leaves on the front lawn…..
Right rearing someone on an oval track is like kicking him in the nuts without a cup on, any legitimate professional driver knows not to do it.
‘Bubba’
– is mediocre driver
– who deliberately used his race in a police pit manuever @ Ovet130 mph against a fellow driver
– that could have caused serious harm or death to LARSON.
Now
What if any othet driver did the same thing to ‘Bubba’?
Would that driver get only a single race suspension?
Would whinny Kenny be silent!
Would ‘Bubba’ imply it was a bias event?
Would the FBI start investigation?
Hey ‘Bubba’ you are and always be mediocre driver.
More importantly you are miserable excuse for a sportsman who Does Not
deserve the respect or ttust of the drivers who have to race with you.
‘Bubba’ you are a spoilef entitled loser
Bubba Wallace tried to kill a guy during a race Sunday because he was angry. NASCAR went along with that garage door pull stunt a few years ago and created a cry baby self-entitled monster in the process. Yet another overgrown man child who has never been told no in his life.
Agree with most of what’s been said, I think we should all take a page from Larsons book and just let Bubba bury himself. Yes he has gotten special treatment simply because hes black, and yes, he got a parade at talladega because he cried about garage door pull string, and yes even though at best hes a midpack driver most days and yes he gets his picture on every nascar poster, sign, game cover or any advertisement while standing beside past champions, but those roosters will eventually come home to roost. Let him bury himself, he will not need any help, and we dont need to fall into what the media wants and thats a race war so they can divide us even more. Hes Toyotas, 23xi, and Nascars problem now. Maybe Denny will show Bubba the film of Josh Berry in the xfinity race the day before, actually being put in the wall with contact in the same place he hit it and going on to win. This will run its course, Do a Larson:)
Oh crap, I can see the woke pulling there usual MO.
The guy is a mediocre driver at best and a 100% moron. He’s perfect for Turdota! His only hope is Jordon keeps sponsoring him. Chevy and Ford won’t touch him.
NASCAR should of hit his wallet big time he could of killed larson and his dumb a$$ self. after all if that was Chastain he would of been crucified by NASCAR unreal.
The professional victim is now an aggressor! Should have been suspended the first 3 races of 2023, where there would have been an impact. All of these negative comments will require an appointment with the therapist for Bubba. Let him go, he’s damaged goods !
“Suspended?”
They couldn’t come up with a less embarrassing word, but at least no one used a looped rope this time.
I agree with the majority of the comments that he should have been given a longer suspension like NASCAR issued to other drivers over the years. Personally, I would have suspended him for a year, and given Bubba a steep fine not only for purposely wrecking him & Bell but for assaulting Larson. Bubba towers over Larson. Watch him shove Larson into the side of Larson’s car. Larson could have suffered a serious injury to his ribs or back. Larson was smart to avoid him as much as he could. As many others said, if someone would have done this to Bubba it would have been a hate crime, and probably have been suspended for life. Case in point does everyone remember NASCAR indefinitely suspending Larson for using the N-word in a virtual race? Whatever happened to ” Stick and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me”? There’s no comparison between both incidents. Yet NASCAR continues to bow to the woke culture and because he is a person of color. It’s disgusting and unfair to all drivers.
Bubba should have gotten a 4 race suspension,1 for each car that crashed and another for the violation codes. That was too dangerous of an act of aggression by the car let alone shoving Larson multiple times.Larson was smart not to throw a punch due to his prior language a few years ago against a black man,otherwise this would have definitely been a more blown up situation than it actually was.All the racist conversation about Larson would have definitely made its way through the media.Bubba has put himself in the crosshairs of NASCAR now,any future incidents will be looked at with more scrutiny for sure.Larson in my opinion tried to make a pass in an area of the track that was not feasible,sure his car had the speed to do it if he was on a qualifying lap but there was just too much traffic.Lesson here:live to fight another lap!
As McDonalds I would have taken the sponsorship off that same Sunday evening. He is just as mediocre and violent as any gang member. Suspend him for life.
Wait for the BOOING at his next introduction.
Ahahaha, it was already pretty loud at the last race I was at. I’m going to Daytona. Will report back. Will also be one of the booing voices/
I just want say, I’ve been a fan of Kyle for a long time. Now I know why. He carried himself well. Larson showed how a man should respond to such a moron.
Agree agree. The clown driving the McDonald’s clown car needs to be tossed out of NASCAR period before his out of control temper really hurts or even kills someone. Plus he should be fined an amount equal to the amount of damage he caused by wrecking three cup series cars, not to mention knocking his own team mate out of the race and possibly out of points contention. It makes no difference what color a driver is, it’s a question of whether they deserve to continue racing at that level with that attitude. Maybe NASCAR should consider dropping him down to a lower level of racing with a zero tolerance policy if he can’t control himself.