Bubba Wallace had a strong performance until the incident involving Kyle Larson on lap 399. The mistake made by 23XI Racing’s driver had a significant impact on the outcome of the Richmond Toyota Owner’s 400 race. Bubba Wallace spun out in the second-to-last lap, leading NASCAR to call a caution and sending the race into overtime, which hadn’t happened in over 14 races.
The driver, who was on the verge of taking the white flag, lost the race that he was convincingly leading. Kyle Larson also missed the opportunity to challenge for the win due to a spin but managed to remain in the top-5. However, Bubba Wallace’s luck took a turn as he finished outside the top-10 after being in the top-5 for the majority of the event, all due to a mistake during a pit-stop.
Despite the disappointing result, Wallace remained positive after the race. He promptly approached Larson and apologized, clarifying that he didn’t intentionally spin him. The strong race he had before the incident seemed to boost his confidence for the upcoming race at Martinsville.
Wallace’s teammate at Toyota, Truex Jr., was one of the drivers affected by the Larson incident. The experienced driver didn’t hold back in criticizing Larson’s actions, using strong language to express his disapproval.
On the other hand, Kyle Larson didn’t have any issues with Wallace. He only lost two positions because of the incident and managed to regain his final position on the last lap. The fact that Bubba Wallace apologized likely contributed to Larson’s satisfaction.
It would be beneficial if Bubba Wallace also apologized to Martin Truex Jr. since it was his mistake that altered the entire race. Despite finishing well in the end, the driver of car number 19 will likely move on from the incident. However, Wallace lost valuable points and should focus on improving his execution to be more effective.
In case you missed it: