NASCAR star Bubba Wallace has drawn the ire of fans since making his debut on the world’s greatest stock car circuit and was recently in the national spotlight for flipping the bird while on television.
Wallace, who finished 17th at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio before the race and suggested there were double standards by fans when it came to his antics versus others.
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Bubba Wallace drives during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway on June 10, 2023 in Sonoma, California. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
«People think I love being in the headlines for different reasons and I actually hate it,» Wallace said. «The finger has become such a big thing when Bubba Wallace does it. But there are guys who go broke and walk down the track and shoot a bird or shoot the double bird and we laugh about it and move on. We tell them that. they are number 1.
«But when Bubba Wallace does it, we have to shut down the whole state, shut down the whole series, kick him out, suspend him.
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«So, on that side of things, it’s complete nonsense. But it is what it is. It’s been going on for years and it feels like I just came up with something new. And we know how some of these people who are a part of this hate the sport. when Bubba Wallace brings something new».
Bubba Wallace walks down the grid before the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWT Raceway on June 4, 2023 in Madison, Illinois. (Jonathan Bachmann/Getty Images)
Bubba Wallace is surrounded by fans before the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 on June 11, 2023 at Sonoma Raceway. (Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
For what it’s worth, Wallace wasn’t suspended or disciplined for the middle finger.
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He was suspended for one race last season when it was determined that he intentionally mangled Kyle Larson in Las Vegas. Similarly, Chase Elliott was suspended for last week’s race when it was discovered that he had intentionally mangled Denny Hamlin.