NASCAR penalties $50,000 for Bubba Wallace’s altercation with Alex Bowman following the Chicago race
NASCAR fined Bubba Wallace $50,000 for his retaliatory contact against Alex Bowman’s car after Bowman won last Sunday’s Chicago Street Race.
Wallace door-slammed Bowman’s car on the cool-down lap and sent it into the wall.
Earlier in the race, Bowman had turned Wallace. Bowman took the blame for that incident and said after his win that he didn’t think Wallace should be penalized for hitting him after the race.
“I’d be mad, too,” Bowman said of Wallace. “I ruined his day. The restart was chaotic. I just made every wrong decision that I possibly could. I was fighting with my windshield wiper switch trying to get it working and I couldn’t get it working. I was focused on that, missed the corner.
“I locked all four tires and just slid right into him. I just messed up and absolutely ruined his day.
“I’m pretty hard on myself when I make mistakes like that and I’ve been embarrassed about it since it happened. The rain delay was a lot of me just sitting there being embarrassed and being mad at myself.
“He has every right to be mad.”
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NASCAR cited two sections of the Rule Book in fining Wallace.
NASCAR cited Section 4.4.B, which states:
Member actions that could result in a loss of 25-50 driver and/or Team Owner Points and/or $50,000-$100,000 fine. Violations may also result in Race suspension(s), indefinite suspension, or membership revocation:
Physical confrontation with a NASCAR Official, media members, fans, etc.
Attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship.
Intentionally damaging another vehicle on pit road.
Wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result.
Any actions deemed to compromise the safety of an Event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others.
NASCAR also cited Section 4.4.D, which includes:
Member actions that could result in a fine and/or indefinite suspension, or membership revocation:
Actions by a NASCAR Member that NASCAR finds to be detrimental to stock car racing or NASCAR.
NASCAR did not announce any other penalties from the Chicago weekend.
A NASCAR spokesperson told NBC Sports that series officials plan to talk to Chase Elliott for his contact with Daniel Suarez after last weekend’s race.
