Bubba Wallace calls out NASCAR veterans for hypocritical stance on ‘lack of respect’ in the garage

Follow us

Share

The lack of respect is heating up in the NASCAR garage. Started by Kyle Busch while discussing the Hamlin-Chastain saga, the discussion had evolved into a serious issue after the chaotic Road Course Race at COTA. The veterans of NASCAR have come out offering their views on the issue and claiming that the young guys are to blame for the chaos.

But the young drivers don’t necessarily share the same views and have pointed out that their racing style was directly influenced by the old guards who raced the same way in their prime. 23XI Racing Toyota driver Bubba Wallace has given his opinion on the lack of respect issue and has pointed out that the veteran is also to blame for the current situation as the lack of respect is a top-down problem, and some veterans are not even approachable.

“It’s from the top down. We talk about this as a new age, but you can’t even talk to some of those guys that have been here for a long time. It’s just a lack of respect from the top down. It’s just how it’s always been, and I think Todd (Gilliland) talked about how the younger generation has kind of always raced. It’s been cutthroat,” Wallace said.

He even shed light on an interaction between him and Kyle Busch from Watkins Glem 2019. He said, “I know Kyle (Busch), and I have had our run-ins going back to Watkins Glen in 2019. And he was like, ‘I caught you a couple of races ago at Texas.’ Have you ever heard of the Mark Martin rule?’ I’m like, ‘What’s that?’ He’s like, ‘When I catch you, you lay over.’ I’m like, ‘No, I don’t race like that pal.’

Discover: “My heart breaks,” Legendary NASCAR crew chief Chad Knaus comes out in support of a family suffering online abuse from anti-vaxxers

Bubba Wallace claims that he races with respect

Wallace pointed out that he agrees with both sides of the lack of respect debate, and there is a lack of respect from the top down. He claimed he always tried to race respectfully, unlike drivers who sent their rivals to the wall. Wallace said that wherever he does something like that, it’s often a mistake and not deliberate.

“If you can get on the inside of me, you can get there. It’s just a totally different style of racing. It’s kind of like butting heads. I agree with both sides. There’s no respect in the garage, but I try to race everybody with respect. Some guys go out here and just run you up the track, run you off the track. If I do that, it’s by mistake. It’s not by design. But it’s from the top down,” said Bubba Wallace.

In case you missed it:

• Joey Logano demands ‘love it and appreciation’ for unpopular stage racing
• Why was Daniel Suarez penalized by NASCAR?