The Bubba Wallace Alex Bowman Chicago feud flared up again during Sunday’s Chicago Street Race, with tensions boiling over through on-track collisions and an explosive radio tirade. The latest incident between the Hendrick Motorsports driver and Wallace unfolded in the latter stages of the event, renewing a rivalry that has simmered since last year.
Renewed Rivalry Ignites During Chicago Street Race
Alex Bowman found himself perplexed after another contentious encounter with Bubba Wallace, which took place on July 6 during the In-Season Challenge at the Chicago Street Race. While dueling for seventh position late in the event, Wallace made contact with Bowman multiple times, forcing Bowman into the barriers and sending Wallace spinning out of contention. Bowman recollected similar hostilities from their previous clash at last year’s Chicago event, when roles were reversed and hard feelings lingered beyond the checkers.
In this year’s rematch, the rivalry reached new heights as both drivers once more battled aggressively in the closing laps. While Bowman was able to salvage an eighth-place finish and progress to the next round of the In-Season Challenge, Wallace ended up five laps behind in 28th position. Bowman openly detailed his experience, explaining the escalating series of bumps and retaliations that left him feeling like a “pinball” between Wallace and the outside wall.
“I thought we had squashed our beef, but clearly we have not. So, yeah, I don’t know. I followed the 45, passed him, he ran me in the inside wall on eight. Still felt like I passed him clean. Then he absolutely just demolished me into 12. I gave it back a little bit into one and then he demolished me again into two, ran me in the outside wall and I’m just a pinball between him and the outside wall at that point.”
—Alex Bowman, Driver
Despite the chaos, Bowman stressed that he had no intention to instigate a wreck and attributed Wallace’s actions to the heat of the moment. Frustration over aggressive racing was apparent, especially given that Wallace was at a clear disadvantage due to tire wear and situational awareness.
“I get the In-Season tournament means a lot, but at that point I’m just trying to finish the best I can. I wasn’t really thinking about that. So, I don’t know if that’s what it was about or what, but unfortunately that happened,” he added.
—Alex Bowman, Driver
Tempers Flare Over Radio Communication
The conflict did not remain confined to the track. Kevin Hamlin, Bowman’s spotter, vented his own anger over the team radio as the altercation played out. Hamlin’s raw frustration reached a peak when repeated contact between the two drivers threatened Bowman’s track position and safety, prompting emotionally charged instructions as Bowman navigated a challenging section.
“Stay with it. We’re not playing nice with this motherf***er,” Kevin Hamlin wrote.
—Kevin Hamlin, Spotter
NASCAR reporter Steven Taranto highlighted this outburst on social media, drawing further attention to the ongoing animosity between the camps of both drivers.
Aftermath and What Lies Ahead in the In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman, who entered the Chicago Street Race as the previous year’s winner at the same venue, used his top-ten finish to climb two spots in the driver‘s standings—now holding tenth place with 480 points. Despite his progress, Bowman is yet to secure a win this season, distinguishing him as the only member of his Hendrick Motorsports team, which includes William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson, without a victory this year.
Looking forward, Bowman is set to compete against Ty Dillon in the third round of the Challenge, which will take place at Sonoma Raceway, another demanding road course. The events in Chicago have only intensified scrutiny of both drivers as the series continues, with fans and teams watching to see whether the ongoing tension will flare up again on future race weekends.
The latest developments in the Bubba Wallace Alex Bowman Chicago feud demonstrate how fierce competition and personal histories can quickly escalate in NASCAR’s high-pressure environment, fueling rivalries that ripple far beyond the checkered flag.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Did Bubba Wallace ever win a race?
A. On October 26, 2013, Wallace was the first African-American since 1963 to win a NASCAR national series race. He achieved this by winning the Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway.
Q. Has Bubba Wallace won a race?
A. Wallace became the first Black driver to win a Cup Series race since Wendell Scott did in 1963. Along with this victory, Wallace also secured the first win for a car sponsored by McDonald’s since Jimmy Spencer achieved this in 1994. On October 4, 2021, Wallace claimed his first career Cup victory at Talladega when rain shortened the race.
