Last week, we reported that the NASCAR star Bubba Wallace was fined $100,000 for race manipulation in Martinsville. Now, Wallace is firing back by expressing his frustrations over receiving this penalty.
Wallace Responds To Punishment
NASCAR fined Wallace’s team 23XI Racing $100,000 and 50 points. Wallace was given the same penalty himself. NASCAR also suspended Bootie Barker, spotter Freddie Kraft, and team executive Dave Rogers for Sunday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
When asked on Saturday if he did anything wrong to deserve this punishment, Wallace replied, “No.”
Wallace went on to admit that he did not agree with his team’s decision not to appeal “but I understood once they broke it down.”
“We have to have all of our eggs in the same basket in the time invested in the right things at the right time and the right time is focusing on the championship for (teammate Tyler Reddick) and bringing home 23XI their first championship,” he continued.
Related: Bubba Wallace Embroiled In New NASCAR Scandal – Accused Of ‘Race Manipulation’
Wallace Accused Of ‘Race Manipulation’
This comes after Wallace was accused of “race manipulation” after he slowed down at the end of the race in Martinsville. Though he claimed that he was simply “nursing” his car, some accused Wallace of trying to allow his fellow Toyota racer Christopher Bell to pass him so that he could advance to the championship stage of the NASCAR Cup Series.
Wallace had tried to defend his actions immediately after the race.
“I went loose or something broke and he’s nursing it,” Wallace alleged at the time. “And then he tried to slide me. I’m like ‘Brother.’ Just trying to bide our time and not crash and bring out out a caution. So that was it.”
Check out Wallace’s full comments in the video below.
Related: Bubba Wallace Learns His Fate As NASCAR Reveals His Punishment For Martinsville Race
Wallace Upset About Barker
Sunday’s race would have been the 103rd race for Barker as Wallace’s crew chief. It was announced on October 30 that Barker would move to another position within the organization. Charles Denike, who comes from the Truck Series, is set to be Wallace’s crew chief in 2025.
“I hate that Bootie’s last race with the 23 group has to be tarnished by (the penalty),” said Wallace. “Bootie has meant a lot to me in the short amount of time I’ve gotten to be with him the last three years. He’s become one of my best friends and I told him that when we made the decision to go a different direction.”
When asked about the crew chief change, Wallace replied, “It was brought to my attention and we had to look at what we needed to take the next steps.”
“Bootie has done a tremendous job to get me and our team to where we’re at now. It was making that next step, ‘What do we need to do?’ It wasn’t an easy decision,” he continued. “I strive on a family atmosphere. I don’t know how you get more family than Bootie. To step away from that and move in a different direction is not something that I was ready to be a part of, but you have to make those decisions at some point.”
Wallace has long been seen as one of the most controversial figures in NASCAR. This latest scandal certainly won’t do anything to improve his reputation!
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