Bubba Wallace and team owner Denny Hamlin have confronted lingering tensions after a dramatic finish at Kansas Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. As the series moves to the Charlotte Roval, both men have discussed last week’s final lap clash and its impact on their chase for postseason success, with the Denny Hamlin Cup Series playoffs narrative central to their current situation.
Race for the Playoffs Intensifies After Kansas Contact
At Kansas, Wallace and Hamlin made contact while battling for the top spot, resulting in Wallace hitting the wall and settling for a fifth-place finish. This missed opportunity prevented him from securing an automatic advancement to the Round of 8, while Hamlin finished in second place. With the playoffs intensifying, Hamlin enters the Charlotte Roval event with a manageable task, needing only a handful of points to move forward in the Denny Hamlin Cup Series playoffs. In stark contrast, Wallace faces a formidable challenge, needing either a victory or to erase a 26-point deficit to avoid playoff elimination and keep his championship aspirations alive.
Immediately after the race, the frustration was evident for Wallace, who expressed his anger toward Hamlin on the cooldown lap. Their post-race interaction and the subsequent media attention, especially Hamlin’s “I Won’t Apologize” podcast message, only added fuel to speculation about tension within the 23XI Racing camp.
Wallace Opens Up About Difficult Conversations
On Saturday at Charlotte, Wallace was asked about lingering feelings in light of Hamlin’s unapologetic stance. He candidly admitted that the situation had weighed on him and required open dialogue with his boss.
“You hit it right on the head. I hate that it got to that point, and I expressed my displeasure to Denny (Hamlin) today (Saturday), and he totally respected that. I’m a guy that we have confrontation, and it is not settled – like it is lingering,”
Wallace said.
Wallace emphasized the need for focus during this crucial stage of the playoffs, reminding Hamlin of his commitment to the team and the importance of a clear mind amid the pressure.
“I expressed to him, that what you need from your driver is to be at 110 percent focused on what to do, how to execute, and how to go out there and beat SVG (Shane van Gisbergen). I had a dark cloud over my mind all week long, man, it’s not fair to my team. And I expressed that, he totally respected that, and frankly the conversation allows him to see things from a different perspective,”
Wallace said.
According to Wallace, their discussion unexpectedly helped resolve some of the conflict. He acknowledged that he needed to move past the Kansas incident as he prepared for this weekend’s critical event.
Wallace Reflects on His Growth as a Driver
Despite qualifying twelfth at the Roval, Wallace’s position reflects significant progress, particularly as road courses have historically posed challenges for him. Over the last season, he has made notable strides, including working with crew chief Charles Denike, embracing fatherhood, and capturing a win at the Brickyard 400.
“For the longest time I was always racing for job security, no matter how long you are signed, I go back to COTA, when I crashed out, third race of the season, I said I needed to be replaced because I was always just chasing the results and wasn’t living up to expectations for self, and I’m sure the expectations for the team. I was just kind of being a realistic, pessimistic – like I’m not doing the job right,”
Wallace said.
He addressed misconceptions about his determination, asserting that his persistence has only strengthened over time, even as others questioned it during challenging races such as last week’s at Kansas.
“Bubba Wallace wouldn’t be fighting for the win a year ago if his Kansas race started out like that (struggling). I think it is just legit, letting the little stuff go and allowing yourself as chance to breathe and looking at things differently. That has produced a lot of the results,”
Wallace said.
Team Commitment Remains Strong Amid Uncertainty
The weight of ongoing legal disputes between team owners and NASCAR has added uncertainty to Wallace’s and the team’s future, but their resolve remains unshaken.
“We don’t go there and talk about December 1 [start of the trial]. It is our jobs. It is our livelihoods to give it everything we’ve got for the race that is ahead of us. That sounds like a very cliché answer, but I could care less. I’ve got five races left to go out and fight for a championship, and I set that tone from the beginning of the year. We’ve got to work out tails off to make it count each and every week,”
Wallace said.
For Wallace, the hardest part about Kansas was how the outcome affected not just him, but his support system and crew who rely on their progress and commitment on and off the race track.
“All of the people that got affected – that is where my frustration came from, because I felt like I was stepping up for them,”
Wallace said.
“While the conversation [with Hamlin] went really well – the pain is still there a little bit, but it definitely eased it. So I definitely appreciate Denny’s comments, never want him to back down in any scenario but I didn’t get the chance to see the rest of the corner, and so yeah, that sucks,”
Wallace said.
Defining Competition Between Owner and Driver
The unique aspect of Wallace’s and Hamlin’s partnership as competitor and owner came into focus after the Kansas incident, with both understanding their dynamic as driven athletes above all else.
“I get the question a lot – ‘what is it like racing Denny, on the race track.’ No offense to him but I could give two s-its because he is a competitor, and he has labeled it that way. That was two competitors going for a win, and so as much so as it didn’t work out, I have to respect that,”
Wallace said.
“I think Dale (Earnhardt, Jr.) said it – I have every right to be pissed off about it.”
What Lies Ahead for Wallace and Hamlin
Bubba Wallace now turns his attention to the upcoming Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte, determined to channel any frustration into performance at this pivotal point in the playoffs. With Hamlin nearly secured in the next round of the Denny Hamlin Cup Series playoffs, Wallace faces a must-win scenario or needs to deliver a substantial points haul to keep his season alive. Their shared confrontation and subsequent reconciliation reveal the high-pressure stakes and emotional complexity of competing at NASCAR’s highest level, showcasing how both teammates and rivals must navigate challenges for the sake of their championship goals.
