Bubba Wallace’s late-race contact with Kyle Larson changed everything during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond Raceway.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was on his way to winning the Toyota Owners 400, but Larson was spun out by Wallace with two laps to go in the 407-lap race. The contact brought the fifth caution, forcing the race into overtime.
The incident occurred when Larson got a little loose on a straightaway but was able to get control of his #5 Chevy car quickly, ending the race in third place. Wallace lost several spots on pit road, tumbling down to 13th place after running in the top-five.
Following the race, Bubba Wallace took responsibility for an incident and apologized, admitting that it wasn't intentional. He jokingly said that karma had a hand in the finish of the race for him and Larson.
Speaking to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Bubba Wallace explained the late-race incident with Larson:
“Got loose, over corrected into him. They ended up better. Karma's a real thing. Cost us, but I was really content with fifth, had a good run.
"And I just got loose, over corrected into him. So, apologize to the five team. Not intentional by all means. But Karma's quick in this sport for sure.”
Soon after Sunday's Toyota Owners 400, the #23 Toyota 23XI Racing driver apologized to Larson for spinning him. Larson also smiled, clearly not too upset with how things were folded:
“It’s all good. Hey, it all worked out for me. It’s all good. It’s all good.”
“I was a little bit loose” – Kyle Larson opens up about his contact with Bubba Wallace
The replay showed Laron’s #5 car got loose, and Wallace misjudged his speed and hit him on the turn.
During the post-race interview, Kyle Larson described the late-race incident with Wallace, saying that he was a bit loose before contact occurred. Despite the contact, Larson focused on the positives and acknowledged the efforts of his pit crew team (as quoted by On3.com):
“Well I was a little bit loose, and then I got finished off there. So thankfully it all kind of just worked out.
"I didn’t — I only lost whatever, a spot to Bubba (Wallace), and to (William) Byron there. I was able to keep it going. My pit crew did a really good job, getting us off pit road. Getting us two spots. Restart fourth, and then we gained one more. So I will take a third, after what could’ve been a lot worse there on the front stretch.”
With P13 and P3 finishes, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson stand 14th and second, respectively, in the Cup Series points table after seven races.