“Easy Rule to Regulate!” Kevin Harvick Insists Bubba Wallace Deserved the Heartbreaking Atalanta Punishment

The NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday produced a double heartbreak moment for Bubba Wallace. First, he missed out on a win against best friend Ryan Blaney and earned P2. Later the second-place finish was taken away and was awarded P29, owing to a yellow line infraction, costing him valuable points with only six races left in the regular season.

2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick talked about the punishment in the latest episode of his Speed with Harvick and Buxton podcast. He asserted that the 23XI Racing driver deserved the penalty, as the rules are pretty clear about racing within the restricted areas of the track. The TRD driver took the lead with an illegal move and he shouldn’t be rewarded for it.  

This is a pretty easy rule to regulate. I mean, when you see him go from behind those cars to beside those cars, it’s pretty hard to argue that you don’t have an advantage in advancing your position.  You can’t advance your position when you go below that double yellow line or put yourself in a better position than you were when you started to go across the yellow line.

Kevin Harvick said on his podcast.

Later Kevin Harvick highlighted how lack of focus might’ve played a key role in Bubba Wallace’s costly infraction. Furthermore, the ex-racer asserted that there isn’t actually a need of the double yellow line at the Georgia track, as its banking is much different from the original Superspeedways, Daytona and Talladega.

So, I think overall, I think [Wallace] just kind of lost his train of thought and focus on where he needed to be on the racetrack right there… And in all honesty, I don’t know that we really need the double yellow line rule at Atlanta. It doesn’t change this scenario, but I think that when you look at the racing and the way that the racetrack banking and everything is, I don’t think it’s really like Daytona and Talladega in a certain sense.

Kevin Harvick added via Speed with Harvick and Buxton.

Further talking about the point, the ex-Stewart Haas Racing driver pointed out that unlike other tracks, Atalanta is a unique Superspeedway and the racing at the banks being rougher, there is a higher possibility that the racers cut the line. But at the same time rules are simple and they needs to imposed consistently.

Down the front straightaway, it’s really rough, and you could kind of cut those sections, so I can see it both ways, but to enforce this rule is very simple, right?  Like when you look at him advancing his position, getting beside those cars, pretty easy call.

Kevin Harvick asserted.

Bubba Wallace doesn’t think he deserved a penalty

Unlike the pundits, Bubba Wallace doesn’t think his actions weren’t warranted. He insisted that he didn’t advance his position by crossing the line, as him crossing the line wasn’t intentional, as it had more to do with the contact made by Ty Gibbs from behind him.

It says advancing your position, which I did not do. I stayed third, and I was all over the brakes to make sure I did not advance. As soon as I turned, I was like, ‘I’m going to wreck,’ and got on the brakes, kept it under me, and still ended up side-by-side. That move should have propelled me to the lead, and it didn’t because I knew it was wrong because my car did not like that move…I did not advance my position. I stayed third from the entry of (Turn) 3 all until 50 yards away.

Bubba Wallace said after the race.

Despite these claims seeming rational, Wallace is wrong as he broke the rule and deserved to get penalized. The 23XI Racing team now has to work extra hard with the No:23 driver to get him back on track and help him get a much-needed win in 2026.

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