NASCAR News: Alex Bowman Reacts To Slam From Bubba Wallace After Grant Park Win - 'I'd Be Mad, Too'

At the recent NASCAR event, the Grant Park 165 in Chicago, a post-race incident involving drivers Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace stirred up considerable attention. After crossing the finish line this Sunday, Wallace intentionally slammed into Bowman during a cool-down lap, a move that has prompted NASCAR to review the matter for potential penalties due this Tuesday evening.

Alex Bowman's reaction to the event has been notably apologetic and understanding.

"He barely hit me, everything was fine and it was plenty deserved," Bowman stated according to Jeff Gluck (below), addressing the collision. He further acknowledged his role in a prior incident during the race which escalated the tension: "I'd be mad, too. I ruined his day. I just messed up. I've been embarrassed about it since it happened. I tried to call him during the rain delay and I shot him a text."

Amid the unfolding drama, Bowman has openly advocated for NASCAR not to penalize Wallace, stating that he understands the frustration that led to Wallace's actions and admitting fault for an earlier spin-out of Wallace during Stage 1 of the race. It's clear that mutual respect runs deep across the NASCAR field.

The organization confirmed it is reviewing the Wallace-Bowman incident. This follows a recent precedent where Carson Hocevar was penalized for similar conduct with the race under caution, which included a deduction of points and a hefty fine. NASCAR typically issues penalties on Tuesday evenings, and any disciplinary action could critically impact Wallace's playoff prospects. Currently engaged in a tight playoff hunt and having not secured a win this season, he entered the Grant Park 165 trailing Bowman by 51 points, just outside the playoff cut line.

It's clear that, with the precedent already made and consistency important between penalties, regardless of Bowman's response, Wallace will receive a penalty for his unsportsmanlike behavior. As for the size of the penalty, Hocevar was fined $50,000 and docked 25 points from his tally, so Wallace could see something similar. This would have a significant effect on his chances of reaching the playoffs.

2024 Grant Part 165 Cup Series Results

• A. Bowman - Chevrolet · #48, Status: Running, Points: 54
• T. Reddick - Toyota · #45, Status: Running, Points: 37
• T. Gibbs - Toyota · #54, Status: Running, Points: 42
• J. Hand - Ford · #60, Status: Running, Points: 43
• M. McDowell - Ford · #34, Status: Running, Points: 32
• R. Stenhouse Jr. - Chevrolet · #47, Status: Running, Points: 34
• T. Gilliland - Ford · #38, Status: Running, Points: 33
• W. Byron - Chevrolet · #24, Status: Running, Points: 29
• K. Busch - Chevrolet · #8, Status: Running, Points: 28
• R. Blaney - Ford · #12, Status: Running, Points: 27
• D. Suárez - Chevrolet · #99, Status: Running, Points: 27
• D. Hemric - Chevrolet · #31, Status: Running, Points: 29
• D. Wallace Jr. - Toyota · #23, Status: Running, Points: 28
• N. Gragson - Ford · #10, Status: Running, Points: 28
• A. Cindric - Ford · #2, Status: Running, Points: 22
• J. Haley - Ford · #51, Status: Running, Points: 21
• Z. Smith - Chevrolet · #71, Status: Running, Points: 20
• B. Keselowski - Ford · #6, Status: Running, Points: 27
• A. Dillon - Chevrolet · #3, Status: Running, Points: 18
• C. Buescher - Ford · #17, Status: Running, Points: 17
• C. Elliott - Chevrolet · #9, Status: Running, Points: 16
• R. Chastain - Chevrolet · #1, Status: Running, Points: 15
• J. Logano - Ford · #22, Status: Running, Points: 14
• C. Hocevar - Chevrolet · #77, Status: Running, Points: 20
• H. Burton - Ford · #21, Status: Running, Points: 14
• K. Grala - Ford · #15, Status: Running, Points: 11
• C. LaJoie - Chevrolet · #7, Status: Running, Points: 10
• J. Bilicki - Ford · #66, Status: Running, Points: 0
• E. Jones - Toyota · #43, Status: Running, Points: 8
• D. Hamlin - Toyota · #11, Status: Running, Points: 8
• A. Hill - Chevrolet · #33, Status: Running, Points: 0
• C. Briscoe - Ford · #14, Status: Running, Points: 12
• M. Truex Jr. - Toyota · #19, Status: Running, Points: 10
• R. Preece - Ford · #41, Status: Running, Points: 3
• J. Nemechek - Toyota · #42, Status: Running, Points: 2
• J. Berry - Ford · #4, Status: Running, Points: 1
• C. Bell - Toyota · #20, Status: DNF, Points: 10
• A. J. Allmendinger - Chevrolet · #13, Status: DNF, Points: 0
• K. Larson - Chevrolet · #5, Status: DNF, Points: 7
• S. van Gisbergen - Chevrolet · #16, Status: DNF, Points: 0