Joey Logano: “I don’t know if everyone realizes how bad that could have been. That could have been the end of Kyle Larson’s career.”
Tensions are high in the world of NASCAR. The 2022 season is coming to a close.
In recent weeks, Joey Logano stated that NASCAR had sent out a few memos regarding conduct that might result in penalties. The sanction likely brought it to the driver’s attention following the incidents with Denny Hamlin and William Byron. In addition to the issues with Cole Custer slowing down to help a teammate.
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However, despite those warnings, last week we saw Bubba Wallace retaliate at a high rate of speed on Kyle Larson at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Larson crowded Wallace off turn four early in the race, as Wallace ran out of room, he tagged the wall.
Wallace reacted by hooking Larson in the right-rear, turning him through the tri-oval. Then, Wallace climbed from his car, walked up to the driver of the No. 5 and pushed him, several times.
Video: Bubba Wallace vs Kyle Larson at Las Vegas
NASCAR dropped the book on Wallace, suspending him for this weekend’s race in Miami. The penalty noted sections 4.3.A, 4.4.C, and 4.4.E of the NASCAR rule book.
Following the penalty report, NASCAR further detailed that the penalty was a result of the on-track retaliation. Wallace was not penalized for the phyisical altercation in the infield or waving his hand at an official.
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Kyle Larson comments
“No, we haven’t talked, yet,” Kyle Larson told Bob Pockrass.
“I’m sure, we hopefully will, eventually. Honestly, I feel like a lot of people are expecting him to reach out and apologize. I don’t expect an apology, for anything.”
“I’m all good on my end.”
He was asked why he feels that he doesn’t need an apology.
Larson added, “I’m a big boy, I guess. I don’t get my feelings hurt, easy. I move on from things, really fast.”
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Joey Logano comments
“The retaliation is not OK in the way it happened,” Logano said Tuesday via ‘The Morning Drive’ on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
“If he spun him to the infield, maybe it’s a little better, but right-rear hooking someone in the dogleg is not OK. I don’t know if everyone realizes how bad that could have been. That could have been the end of Kyle Larson’s career.”
“That to me was what was on the line. Or his life. That is the worst spot to get right-rear hooked into a corner. The dogleg is pretty sharp. When you come in and hit the angle that he hit, in a way, he was lucky to hit (Bell) a little bit to soften it a little bit.”
“He might have flush-hit that thing in the side. And then game over. There’s no room for that. You can’t do that.”
“If it’s under caution and you’re banging doors. I don’t know that that’s OK, either, but at least you’re not putting someone’s life at risk. … I don’t like using cars for a weapon.”
“If you’re that mad, just get out and fight him. That’s fine if that’s what you really want to do and that’s how you want to handle it. That’s fine.”
“You can make someone’s life hell if you want to racing them, but do I think just straight up blasting them into the wall is OK, no. Because the consequences are way bigger than just a race, and you’ll live with regret the rest of your life.”
Logano concluded, “That’s the bottom line. If you seriously injured somebody in retaliation for something that wasn’t huge, I don’t think you can live with yourself after that. I don’t want to take that risk.”
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Daniel Suarez comments
“All of those issues were extremely dumb,” Daniel Suarez stated of incidents that brought penalties to Bubba Wallace and Cole Custer. “Before even those situations happened, I would never do something like that.”
“Not that clear. You have to be smarter. But, I’m glad NASCAR is reacting to it.”
“My level of aggression to my teammate right now is going to be a little lower. But, I will never brake to give up a position. The consequences of that, that’s not professional.”
“The same thing wrecking somebody the way it happened last week. That was not smart. Especially with everything that is happening right now.”
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Suarez added, “I’m glad that NASCAR stepped in and they were able to put everyone in their places. Because, it was too much.”
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Denny Hamlin comments
Denny Hamlin is the co-owner of 23XI Racing, the team Bubba Wallace drives for. However, Hamlin support the decision by NASCAR to suspend his driver.
“We didn’t approve of the way he reacted there,” Denny Hamlin said of his 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace.
“Obviously support NASCAR’s decision. Not a good look for our team. But, he’s also gotta learn. I believe if he had it to do all over again, he would do it differently.”
“He was certainly frustrated with the on-track part of it. Which I understand, Larson put him in a bad spot there. I’ve done it, many times this year, that’s why William got so mad. These cars, coming off the corner just have a weird air-buffer. You get someone to the inside of you and it just kinda pushes your car up.”
“But, when you got a hand on your back and you’re walking down the infield, it’s a bad look. We’ve all done tough stuff in our careers that have kinda defined us, it’s how he will return from it that will define him.”
Hamlin concluded, “He made a bad decision. It will just take some time for him to change that narrative.”
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Kyle Larson | Bubba Wallace | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | NASCAR
