After a dramatic finish at Kansas Speedway, Bubba Wallace found himself at the center of controversy following a late-race incident with his 23XI Racing team owner, Denny Hamlin. The emotional aftermath of the run-in left the NASCAR Cup Series driver with plenty to reflect on heading into the following week.
“It’s definitely been a somber week, for sure,” Wallace admitted as he addressed the media ahead of the Charlotte Roval race weekend.
Heart-to-heart between Wallace and Hamlin
Despite both being part of the same racing organization, Wallace revealed that he and Denny Hamlin didn’t immediately speak after the Kansas clash. Their long-awaited conversation finally happened on Saturday morning, just before Wallace’s media availability.
“I hate that it got to this point and the lingering effect,” Wallace said. “Denny and I just talked until about 30 minutes ago. It was a good heart-to-heart conversation and came from a place of peace.”
Bubba Wallace noted that the discussion went better than he anticipated, with both sides expressing their perspectives openly.
“It went better than I thought it would. He shared his side of things, and I shared mine and we had a common ground,” he continued.
The driver of the No. 23 Toyota even recalled a lighthearted moment during their chat, saying, “It was kind of funny when I sent him on a detour when I said, ‘You can go first.’ He started talking, and five seconds in I said, ‘Just so you know, I’m not mad about getting fenced going for the win.’ His eyes got all wide.”
No hard feelings, just hard racing
Bubba Wallace made it clear that while emotions ran high after the Kansas finish, he doesn’t hold any resentment toward Denny Hamlin. Known for his fierce competitiveness, Wallace has been involved in his fair share of intense on-track battles — including a fiery confrontation with Kyle Larson at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in previous seasons.
Currently sitting 10th in Playoff points, 26 markers below the cut line to advance to the Round of 8, Wallace knows the stakes are higher than ever heading into the Roval. But despite the pressure, he remains steadfast in his approach.
“Just so we are all clear on that – that is not going to be the last time where I’m battling for a win and it doesn’t go our way in some fashion, whether that is Denny or anybody in the field,” Wallace said. “But, I’ll be a little gracious here and say 95% of the people on this (in)side of the catch fence look at that move as ‘ooof’ (uncomfortable grimace).”
He added that while the moment was tough, he doesn’t fault Hamlin for doing what it takes to win. “The other five percent, whether they’re buddies or they don’t care, they see the other side of it. I don’t fault Denny Hamlin racing for the win, for his team and his sponsors.”
As the NASCAR Playoffs intensify, Bubba Wallace is channeling his focus toward performance rather than controversy.