Bubba Wallace is back in the NASCAR conversation after another emotional race weekend, this time following comments he made at Dover about how he responded after being wrecked the week before at Watkins Glen International.
Wallace, who drives the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, was reportedly “seeing red” after the incident. According to Fox News, Wallace reacted by aggressively racing the field over the closing laps, saying he was going to “race the dogsh*t” out of anyone around him. While the moment did not lead to a larger on-track incident, it added another flashpoint to a heated stretch for the driver.
The Dover race itself drew attention for reasons beyond Wallace. NASCAR’s revised All-Star format was criticized after the event stretched to roughly 350 laps, removing the traditional Open qualifying race and turning what is usually framed as a quick, high-energy showcase into a longer afternoon event.
Denny Hamlin won the race and the $1 million prize, but several drivers appeared less than thrilled with the format by the end of the day.
The weekend also included a separate controversy involving Craftsman Truck Series driver Natalie Decker, who parked her truck after NASCAR black-flagged her for being too slow. During the race, team owner Josh Reaume reminded her over the radio to consider the sponsor’s presence on the truck and “bring it to the garage.”
Decker responded, “I feel like a f**king failure if I do that,” adding, “There’s so many things I want to say and I’m probably going to get f**king suspended.”
That exchange appeared to stem from late-race confusion as Wallace was preparing to pit while Bell was already alongside him entering Turn 6. FOX analyst Kevin Harvick reacted on-air at the time, saying, “I don’t think we’re good right here.”
Wallace finished 29th at Watkins Glen after a spin in the final stage, while Bell came home 21st. Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, later said Wallace was not upset with Bell, suggesting the conversation may have been more about sorting out what happened than escalating the issue.
