Nearly one week after one of the most debated officiating decisions of the NASCAR Cup Series season, Bubba Wallace says he has a much clearer understanding of why NASCAR penalized him at EchoPark Speedway.
Wallace crossed the finish line second in last weekend’s race after receiving a push from teammate Ty Gibbs on the final lap, but NASCAR ruled that the No. 23 Toyota violated the series’ superspeedway racing rules by dropping below the out-of-bounds line while battling for position.
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The post-race penalty dropped Wallace from second to 29th, costing him 27 championship points and igniting widespread debate among fans over whether the punishment fit the offense.
Speaking Saturday at North Wilkesboro Speedway, however, Wallace said his frustration has largely been replaced with acceptance.
Wallace says NASCAR explained the ruling
Wallace and members of 23XI Racing met with NASCAR officials following last Monday’s rain-delayed finish to discuss the penalty, and he said those conversations helped him better understand the rule.
“I mean, it is what it is,” Wallace said. “We got a better understanding of the rule. To me, I always thought it was like gaining position, but no, it’s gaining track position, which I totally did. So, it is what it is.”
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He added:
“I thought they would care about the data that I tried to give (the position) back, but the damage was already done. So, unfortunate and here we are.”
NASCAR later explained that once Wallace’s car crossed below the racing surface while advancing his position, surrendering the spot afterward did not erase the violation.
Wallace admitted the situation put officials in a difficult position.
“I think NASCAR doesn’t ever want to be put into a situation where they have to make the call, and they always tell us to not put them in that situation, and unfortunately, I put them there. So in all, a rule’s a rule. Cross over the line, oh well.”
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The penalty remains significant in the playoff race
While Wallace has accepted the outcome, the points lost could still prove costly.
The penalty erased what would have been one of the strongest finishes of his season and dropped him 27 positions in the official results. Entering Sunday’s Window World 450 at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Wallace sits 13th in the Cup Series standings, still inside the provisional playoff field but with considerably less breathing room than he would have had after Atlanta.
Despite the setback, Wallace remains optimistic about the speed 23XI Racing has shown in recent weeks.
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“Good tracks for us, so yeah, and I think I said it before Atlanta: Man, we’ve been showing up with speed every weekend,” Wallace said. “Just whatever it is about the first-stage blues or the second-stage blues will bite us, but Atlanta was a solid race. Just an unfortunate hiccup on my end, so yeah, we’ll just go there and just hit base hits. We’ll be fine.”
With six regular-season races remaining after North Wilkesboro, Wallace’s playoff hopes remain in good shape, but every point will matter as the postseason cutoff approaches.
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