Photo credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography

NASCAR fines Bubba Wallace for Chicago infraction


NASCAR has issued a $50,000 fine to Bubba Wallace for actions during the cooldown lap last Sunday in Chicago.

Wallace drove up to Alex Bowman and door-slammed him to show displeasure for an incident earlier in the race. The contact put the No. 48 into the wall and lifted the wheels off the ground.

NASCAR's penalty report said that Wallace violated Sections 4.4.B & D: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct.

This fine is the same amount issued to Daniel Suarez for his actions after a race at Circuit of the Americas last season. He ran into Bowman on pit road after the race while NASCAR officials stood nearby.

Bowman, the winner of the Chicago race, told media members during his press conference that he didn't think NASCAR should penalize Wallace. He said that the contact was "well-deserved" for the mistake he made earlier in the race when he spun Wallace in front of Suarez.

"I'd be mad too," Bowman said during his post-race press conference. "I ruined his day."

A similar incident occurred elsewhere on the track during the cooldown lap. However, it did not receive a penalty.

Chase Elliott chased down Suarez and door-slammed him. He then brake-checked the Trackhouse Racing driver. This was the result of two separate incidents on the final lap of the Chicago Street Race.

The first incident occurred as Elliott moved Suarez out of the way to make a pass. Suarez then came back and hit Elliott's No. 9, sending it spinning into the tire barrier on the final turn of the race. Elliott fell from 11th to 21st in what was his worst finish of the season.

This particular post-race contact appeared to be different from Wallace's in that the contact was lighter and Suarez did not end up in the wall. NASCAR has not said why it did not issue a fine to Elliott for this post-race contact.