Bubba Wallace was fined $50,000 by NASCAR for making retaliatory contact with Alex Bowman’s car following Bowman’s victory in Sunday’s Chicago Street Race.
Wallace sent Bowman’s car flying into the wall on the cool-down lap by door-slamming it. Earlier in the race, Bowman had turned Wallace.
Bowman took the blame for the incident and said after his win that he didn’t think Wallace should be penalized for assaulting him after the race.
About Wallace, Bowman remarked, “I’d be mad, too.” “I made his day miserable. The relaunch was disorganized. I simply made every incorrect choice I could have made.
I struggled to get my windshield wiper switch to operate, but I was unable to do so. Missed the corner because I was concentrating on it. “I slammed straight into him after locking all four tires.
I completely wrecked his day by making a mistake. When I make mistakes like that, I’m fairly hard on myself, and ever since it happened, I’ve been humiliated. I spent a lot of time sitting there feeling ashamed and angry with myself during the rain delay.
“He has every right to be mad.”
NASCAR cited two sections of the Rule Book in fining Wallace.
NASCAR cited Section 4.4.B, which states:
Member behaviors that might cost them between $50,000 and $100,000 in fines, as well as 25–50 driver and/or Team Owner Points.
Additional penalties for violations include membership revocation, an indefinite suspension, or race suspension(s): physical altercation with a member of the media, a NASCAR official, spectators, etc. trying to influence the race’s or championship’s outcome. Intentionally causing harm to a different car on the pit road. Causing damage to or spinning another car, regardless of whether that car is subsequently taken out of competition.
Any conduct deemed to jeopardize the safety of an Event or otherwise constitute a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others.
Moreover, NASCAR referenced Section 4.4.D, which states: Member behaviors that can lead to a fee, an extended membership suspension, or even the loss of membership: actions taken by a member of NASCAR that NASCAR deems harmful to the sport or stock car racing. No other penalties from the Chicago weekend were disclosed by NASCAR.
