標籤: Wallace

The first round of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway was uneventful, dominated by commercials more than anything else. A few minutes after Stage 2, “The Big One” happened in Dega.

Just 17 laps into the second stage with racing three-wide at the front of the field, Ross Chastain came to the middle of the lane. This created a stack-up with Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, Josh Berry and Joey Logano behind him, that momentum carried Bubba Wallace to the lead.

READ MORE: Tyler Reddick announces contract decision

The No. 23 car came loose from the stack-up push and overturned into the wall, where it was struck by Cole Custer’s No. 41 car. Custer went down and hit Daniel Suarez, who spun into Logano, and the massacre took over most of the field.

Wallace exited his car due to the damage at the end of the race and was taken to the infield care center where he was treated. Speaking to Fox’s pit reporter Jamie Little, he accepted responsibility for what happened.

“We have to figure out how to push better, so I’ll take charge. We’ll do a good debrief and figure out what we can do to make our Toyota a little better at pushing.”

Bubba Wallace on “The Big One” in Dega

In total, NASCAR reported that Seth Eggert counted at least 30 cars that were involved in this massive crash. Obviously, this required a red flag, as the NASCAR Cup Series looked to set a record for the worst crash in the modern era.

About 14 lead-lap cars escaped damage. Coming out of the wreck, the running order for Jack Link’s 500 was Ryan Preece, Chastain, Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, Eric Jones, Michael McDowell, Todd Gilliland, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., AJ Allmendinger, Cody Ware, Noah Gragson, Zane Smith and Austin Dillon, as recorded by The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck.

• DNFs from the Wreck: Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, William Byron, Chad Fincham and Cole Custer

Logano, Custer, Blaney, Berry, Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski all went to the garage with their cars requiring significant repairs. Larson’s No. 5 suffered damage late in the race and finished last. Logano (DNF) finished 39th, Custer (DNF) 38th, Blaney (DNF) 37th and Wallace 36th.

William Byron’s No. 24 car had to have a bent tie rod replaced, and it was determined that the car could not be repaired, ending his day. He finished Sunday’s race in 35th place.

While the No. 54 car of Ty Gibbs was able to run after the restart, his front tire blew out a few minutes later and he crashed into the wall. This was due to damage caused in the initial accident. He ended the day in the 34th minute.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Bubba Wallace’s day ended abruptly at Martinsville Speedway during last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 when the 23XI Racing driver lost control on a late restart and careened into the back of Carson Hocevar’s car.

Contact in Turn 4 spun Hocevar and caused a pileup of 12 cars, resulting in significant damage that forced Wallace to retire from the race with a 36th-place finish.

Wallace, who was already racing competitively, took responsibility for the incident, but called it a misjudgment amid the frustration of being three-wide.

To many fans, it seemed like a reversal of his old, polarizing ways. After a self-inflicted DNF, Wallace has been warned to keep his emotions in check moving forward.

“Bubba Wallace just drove the 77 car.” pic.twitter.com/KzYLAw766D

– FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) 29 March 2026

Bubba Wallace warns to remain calm after Martinsville incident

During Kevin Harvick’s latest Happy R In the episode, the former Cup Series champion warned Bubba that he needs to improve moving forward.

He said, “Bubba got angry because Carson put him three wide on the restart and put him in a bad position, and Bubba didn’t like that.” “But, you know, it’s Martinsville, and I’ve lost my temper many times in Martinsville and I’ve probably done things like that, too.”

Harvick suggested that Wallace losing his temper was the result of growing hostility over the fact that he was no longer the star of 23XI Racing.

“Your teammate is the guy who has won four races and is leading the points, it’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “I promise you he’s disappointed that he’s not the guy who wins the race.”

“But you have to keep it together. You can’t lose your temper like that and lose all those points for yourself and your team.”

Putting it together has been a struggle for Wallace throughout his career.

Read more:

The incident has drawn strong reactions from within Wallace’s own 23XI Racing camp. Spotter Freddy Craft, speaking on door, bumper, clear Podcast, offered sharp criticism.

“You can’t have those mistakes. I’ll take him at his word that he made the wrong decision; I know he wanted to be involved, but I don’t think he meant to, obviously, end our day. That can’t be happening,” Kraft said angrily.

He added, “If you want to be a championship contender or be in the top five, seven or eight in points, you can’t have those moments. It can’t happen.” “Unfortunately, we ended our day yesterday by suicide.”

Co-owner Denny Hamlin expressed a similar assessment work harmful Podcast, noting that Wallace “ruined himself.”

Hamlin said, “I understood that Bubba doomed himself trying to get Carson out of the way.” “He didn’t give up, kept driving out there and it ultimately caused him to destroy himself and others. That’s what I believe.”

All of these comments share a common theme: Wallace must display his aggression more effectively to avoid repeating these self-inflicted failures. And he needs to do this before his team gets completely fed up with his antics.

Rusty Weis is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and Xavier Musketeers. He has been writing professionally… More about Rusty Weiss

Just days after Cup Series drivers Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain got into a post-race confrontation following the Pennzoil 400, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace became the latest to call attention to the fight in NASCAR and the rulemaking that fines drivers when it happens.

Speaking to Frontstretch.com’s Dalton Hopkins ahead of Saturday’s Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Darlington Raceway, Wallace shared his perspective on whether NASCAR should allow drivers to contend again.

Reality: NASCAR Cup Series debut at Darlington, see where Bubba Wallace starts

“I don’t think so. When you go wrong… I blame my father, but I also respect him for how he was, he was an eye for an eye, okay? When you’re disrespected, it’s a fine line to be a better person or make sure they don’t do it again. … There’s got to be a fine line because it’s going to happen.”

NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace on whether he should be fined for fighting other drivers (H/T Dalton Hopkins of Frontstretch.com)

Last Sunday, Suárez got out of his car and came to confront Chastain on pit road. Moments later, bystanders pushed Chastain away before coming between the two drivers to prevent the incident from escalating. A few days later, Suárez said that he would have fought Chastain if he had not received a fine from NASCAR and the impact the fight could have on sponsors’ interest.

There hasn’t been a fight between NASCAR Cup Series drivers since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. attacked Kyle Busch after the 2024 All-Star Race. Just days after the brawl, NASCAR announced that Stenhouse Jr. was fined $75,000 and two crew members were also suspended for their roles in the brawl.

RELATED: NASCAR Stage Winners 2026, Bubba Wallace Among Stage State Leaders

The great irony, as Chase Elliott later pointed out, was that NASCAR gave Stenhouse the largest fine ever for the fight, but the video was also used in marketing, to generate engagement on social media and it brought more attention to the sport that many company executives wanted.

Speaking to Hopkins, Wallace proposed something that would give fans, drivers and NASCAR what it wants, while also ensuring that no one gets seriously injured. Adopting something along the lines of hockey rules could help drivers deal with what is perceived as persistent disrespect by a co-worker and prevent things from getting worse.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings, Bubba Wallace in top 10 before Darlington

“I think that’s fair but, we’ve always talked about hockey rules. Go on the field and then you can stop it, but there’s got to be a fine line. Because it’s going to happen, you’re going to get disrespected unless it’s behind the scenes and that’s too bad.”

Bubba Wallace on NASCAR’s current rules regarding fighting and the risks of not allowing it

For Wallace, who recently announced he and his wife welcomed their second child on Thursday, a $75,000 fine for settling differences with another driver after a race isn’t fair. If NASCAR ever decides to be a little more lenient in its penalties for fighting, while keeping personnel on the front lines to avoid actual brawls or significant injuries, maybe it could work out for everyone in the long run.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin praises Bubba Wallace’s improvement

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Just days after Cup Series drivers Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain got into a post-race confrontation following the Pennzoil 400, 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace became the latest to call attention to the fight in NASCAR and the rulemaking that fines drivers when it happens.

Speaking to Frontstretch.com’s Dalton Hopkins ahead of Saturday’s Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Darlington Raceway, Wallace shared his perspective on whether NASCAR should allow drivers to contend again.

Reality: NASCAR Cup Series debut at Darlington, see where Bubba Wallace starts

“I don’t think so. When you go wrong… I blame my father, but I also respect him for how he was, he was an eye for an eye, okay? When you’re disrespected, it’s a fine line to be a better person or make sure they don’t do it again. … There’s got to be a fine line because it’s going to happen.”

NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace on whether he should be fined for fighting other drivers (H/T Dalton Hopkins of Frontstretch.com)

Last Sunday, Suárez got out of his car and came to confront Chastain on pit road. Moments later, bystanders pushed Chastain away before coming between the two drivers to prevent the incident from escalating. A few days later, Suárez said that he would have fought Chastain if he had not received a fine from NASCAR and the impact the fight could have on sponsors’ interest.

There hasn’t been a fight between NASCAR Cup Series drivers since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. attacked Kyle Busch after the 2024 All-Star Race. Just days after the brawl, NASCAR announced that Stenhouse Jr. was fined $75,000 and two crew members were also suspended for their roles in the brawl.

RELATED: NASCAR Stage Winners 2026, Bubba Wallace Among Stage State Leaders

The great irony, as Chase Elliott later pointed out, was that NASCAR gave Stenhouse the largest fine ever for the fight, but the video was also used in marketing, to generate engagement on social media and it brought more attention to the sport that many company executives wanted.

Speaking to Hopkins, Wallace proposed something that would give fans, drivers and NASCAR what it wants, while also ensuring that no one gets seriously injured. Adopting something along the lines of hockey rules could help drivers deal with what is perceived as persistent disrespect by a co-worker and prevent things from getting worse.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings, Bubba Wallace in top 10 before Darlington

“I think that’s fair but, we’ve always talked about hockey rules. Go on the field and then you can stop it, but there’s got to be a fine line. Because it’s going to happen, you’re going to get disrespected unless it’s behind the scenes and that’s too bad.”

Bubba Wallace on NASCAR’s current rules regarding fighting and the risks of not allowing it

For Wallace, who recently announced he and his wife welcomed their second child on Thursday, a $75,000 fine for settling differences with another driver after a race isn’t fair. If NASCAR ever decides to be a little more lenient in its penalties for fighting, while keeping personnel on the front lines to avoid actual brawls or significant injuries, maybe it could work out for everyone in the long run.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin praises Bubba Wallace’s improvement

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

In only his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cason Wallace has never played for a team that has not won at least 57 regular season games. It is extremely rare for most NBA players to win a championship between sophomore seasons. This season has undoubtedly been his best. Wallace recorded a career-high 27 points in a 121–111 win against the Denver Nuggets in February.

However, Wallace’s contributions go far beyond his career-high seven threes made in that win against the Nuggets. Wallace has emerged as a triple threat for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, giving him a unique on-ball defender who can stretch and stretch the floor with his outside touch.

Wallace’s career average is the best in several statistical categories, including points per game (8.6), assists (2.7), and steals (2.1), in which he leads the NBA. Still, returning as the defending champions and having faced every team’s best effort, Wallace doesn’t see any major changes in the Thunder’s approach this season.

Wallace said, “I don’t see any big difference between last season’s performance and this year’s. The goal will always be to win.” “As defending champions, we still look forward to working hard and competing every day.”

While some were expecting a championship hangover, which is the norm for most returning champions, the Thunder had the best start to the regular season – 24–1 – in NBA history. Without All-NBA forward Jalen Williams, who missed the first 19 games due to wrist surgery, the Thunder rose to the top of the Western Conference standings, where it remained stable through the 2025–26 season.

“I feel fortunate to be a part of such a great team and I’m excited to keep the energy flowing until the end of the season,” Wallace said.

Wallace will be a key part of the Thunder’s postseason campaign as the defending champions. With teams like the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets threatening to dethrone OKC from its throne, Wallace is one of several interesting depth pieces that light up the Thunder’s backcourt.

Oklahoma City embraces Thunder’s Cason Wallace

As Wallace continues to grow as a player, his community of die-hard Thunder fans in Oklahoma City has embraced him. So much so that Wallace partnered with a local food chain in town, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, to create “Cason’s Queso”, his own cheese sauce inspired by his nickname “Queso”.

Wallace said, “We have great people on this team and we always have a lot of fun together. I’ve always had him at Fuzzy’s, and I told him my queso is a must-try because it’s loaded just the way I like it.” “Every bite is a little different depending on what toppings you bring out, so it’s perfect for sharing on game day.”

While Wallace hopes the fans enjoy the collaboration, he is eager to finish the regular season and enter the playoffs for another run at the championship.

Amid a 10-game winning streak, the Thunder earned their 55th win on Wednesday. With only 12 games remaining, Oklahoma City is in position to make another deep playoff run with hopes of winning back-to-back titles.

Mark Daigneault praises ‘committed’ Cason Wallace

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised Wallace’s adaptability to different lineups this season, which he has been successful in, as the third-year guard continues to improve. Although the Thunder traded for Wallace, who was selected 10th overall on draft night in 2023, it’s no coincidence that Casson has one of the highest winning percentages in NBA history.

Wallace’s career winning percentage is 75.6%. And while some fans will joke that he’s a lucky charm, given that the Thunder have finished with the best record in the Western Conference every season since Wallace joined, Daigneault looks at the work Cason has done behind the scenes.

“He’s one of many guys on our team who obviously plays his role well on a very good team,” Daigneault said. “When you look at Cason Wallace’s win percentage as a professional, his win percentage is insane. But one of the things that comes with playing on a team at this level as a young player is that your role can sometimes feel narrow compared to your teammates.

“If he wasn’t on such a good team, he’d probably be able to do a lot more, and his role would be a little broader. So, when you have a guy that’s committed to that kind of role, is committed to winning and the team’s success, having a night like tonight, everybody’s happy for him.”

While Wallace’s role has changed sporadically throughout the regular season due to the Thunder’s long list of injuries, he makes the most of his opportunities.

“He shows up – he takes whatever minutes he gets. Sometimes he starts, sometimes he doesn’t. Some nights he gets some shots, and he doesn’t get his breakthrough,” Daigneault said. “So, on a night when he does that, and he delivers, everyone is thrilled for him.”

For Wallace, it’s sometimes hard to believe how far he’s come. It all happened very quickly for the top-10 draft pick, who became an NBA champion, led the association in steals, and emerged as a key member for a team with the potential to win back-to-back titles.

If Wallace could talk to that younger version of himself, he would only give that kid one strong piece of advice for the future.

“I would tell the younger version of me to keep working hard,” Wallace said. “Results come from being disciplined, having confidence in yourself and your teammates, and being prepared for every opportunity.”

Wallace is living proof of what the other side of that hard work is.

As most of the spotlight focuses on 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick becoming the first driver in NASCAR history to win the first three Cup Series races of the season, teammate Bubba Wallace is off to the best start of his career. This is, in part, thanks to their improvements on road routes.

Coming off the Circuit of the Americas, where Wallace finished 11th and was in the top 10 in points earned, driver and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin recently praised Wallace for his road-course improvements on the latest episode of Action Detrimental.

RELATED: NASCAR Power Rankings after COTA, see where Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin landed

“He should be very proud of his development on the road course. He downplays it quite a bit, you know, ‘I struggle.’ The 10 has a solid, back half now on the road to get the pace and his craft going.

Denny Hamlin on Bubba Wallace’s improvements at road courses

This is coming from the Duramax Texas Grand Prix, where Wallace scored a career-best finish at COTA with an 11th-place result after starting the day 24th. Most impressively, this happened when the No. 23 team played for points in Stage 2 (5 points) and then had to start the final stage after pitting near the back of the field.

Wallace was 24th at one point in the final stages before a restart following a caution with 17 laps remaining. He moved up to 16th with 15 laps to go, 12th with 11 laps to go, and in the final laps he passed William Byron to move up to 11th, just behind Hamlin.

RELATED: Denny Hamlin predicts how Tyler Reddick finishes in the regular season

He has now finished top 15 or better in his last three races on the road course, including an eighth-place finish at Watkins Glen last August. Over the past two years, spanning from the COTA race on March 24, 2024, to March 1, 2026, Wallace’s average finishing position is 16.16.

Keep in mind this also includes the Chicago Street Race last summer where he was 6th with 6 laps to go before getting into it with Alex Bowman and eventually spinning out. Ultimately he finished 28th.

Wallace has become the caliber of driver that Hamlin envisioned when he brought him to 23XI Racing. It shows this season, with Wallace’s improvement on road courses and the fact that he is currently second in points with the third-highest average finishing position (9.7) and second-most laps led (86) in the Cup Series. Redick and Wallace have become 23XI’s top drivers, and the team’s future could be even brighter next season, with top prospect Corey Heim expected to join the team full-time as a replacement for Riley Herbst.

READ MORE: 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst an option for another Cup team in 2027

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

NBA Hall of Famer Ben Wallace supports the comparison between himself and Isaiah Stewart, further validating the young forward’s emergence during the Detroit Pistons’ standout season.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, Wallace addressed several parallels between his Hall of Fame career and Stewart’s evolving role in Detroit’s frontcourt.

“I definitely see it,” Wallace said.

Stewart, 24, is having one of the most accomplished stretches of his career. In 48 games and 13 starts, he has averaged 10 points, 5.1 rebounds, a career-high 1.7 blocks and 1.1 assists, while shooting 54% from the field and 32.1% from three-point range in 23.3 minutes per game. His impact has helped Detroit reach an NBA-best record of 43–14.

Comparisons focus primarily on defensive intensity and physical presence. Despite being undersized for a traditional center, Wallace made his legacy as one of the league’s most dominant defenders. A four-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Star, Wallace anchored Detroit’s 2004 championship team and became synonymous with the franchise’s gritty identity. His rebounding, rim protection and tireless energy defined the era of Pistons basketball.

Isaiah Stewart credits Ben Wallace’s path for growing mutual respect

Stewart acknowledged the connection.

“He paved the way for us guys to be smaller,” Stewart said. “I’m trying to live up to that and keep my name in this organization in a positive way.”

According to ESPN, the mutual respect between the two goes beyond public comments.

Watching the respectful exchange, a source who knows Wallace well summed it up:

“Ben looks at Stewart like a proud father.”

As Detroit continues its rise to the top of the standings, Stewart’s development remains central to the team’s identity. Wallace’s endorsement reinforces the belief that Stewart’s defensive growth and physical style is up to the standard set by one of the franchise’s most iconic players.