Ex-racer Rick Mast claims NASCAR fined Bubba Wallace $50K despite the Alex Bowman hit not being “a big deal”

Bubba Wallace was fined $50K for the incident at Chicago.

Ex-racer Rick Mast claims NASCAR fined Bubba Wallace $50K despite the Alex Bowman hit not being “a big deal”

Bubba Wallace and Alex Bowman (Via IMAGO)

Last Sunday’s race at Chicago Street witnessed multiple dramatic incidents. The most controversial of them all was the run-in between race winner Alex Bowman and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace. The Toyota driver slammed hard onto the door of the Chevy driver during the cool-down lap in response to an incident earlier in the day.

Despite Alex Bowman and many in racing community asking NASCAR to not to penalize the 23XI driver, he was fined $50K. But according to ex-NASCAR driver Rick Mast it wasn’t a big deal that deserved a penalty and he admitted that he was really surprised to see how huge the amount of the fine was.

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I honestly, honestly Charlie I didn’t think it was that big a deal. A little bit surprised about the amount of the fine. I guess, I guess, I haven’t heard, and they’ll put the statement out, I haven’t heard the reasoning but I guess it was the severity of the hit, right? Because, hell I’ve had it done to me, and I’ve done it to other guys.
Rick Mast said via The Rick Mast Show.

He went on to highlight that Bubba Wallace might have been fined because the hit was bit too severe. But he added that they have been multiple similar incidents in the past and even he was involved in such situation.

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The race is over and I’ll go up to them and I’ll rub them, run into them a little bit, body slam them a little bit. Just to let them know that I wasn’t appreciative of what they did to me and I’ve done it to other guys to some degree. But the severity of Bubba’s hit, right? How hard he turned into the car. I’m assuming that’s the reason they did that, right?
Rick Mast added.

Bubba Wallace’s spotter explains fans hypocrisy regarding his driver

In the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Bubba Wallace’s spotter Freddie Kraft explained how some fans are hypocrites when it comes to the 23XI driver. There have been many negative comments on social media and other media platforms against Wallace, but they ignored a similar incident that occurred during the race.

Freddie Kraft and Bubba Wallace
Freddie Kraft (Via offaxispaint.com) and Bubba Walllace (Via IMAGO)

Chase Elliott also door slammed Dnaiel Suarez during the cool down lap. But he didn’t he receive any backlash on social media. Kraft is really disappointed to see how his driver was targeted by a certain group of fans.

One of them for some reason didn't make it on television quite as much as the other one, I don't know why. There's video out there of it now. Chase Elliott drives up and doors Daniel Suarez after the yellow flag. I didn't see anybody cry for his immediate expulsion from the sport.
Freddie Kraft said via DBC.

The no:23 team spotter does have a good point that needs to be addressed. The social media outrage Bubba Walace faced despite the incident being pretty regular is concerning. NASCAR has to be consistent about such situation going forward, as they have to use the Wallace-Bowman clash as the standard fort future penalties.

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