Skip to main content
Join Now
NASCAR Logo

Bubba Wallace quotes Kevin Harvick in discussion over Truck Series: 'Stop crashing s***'

JHby: Jonathan Howard02/18/24Jondean25
Bubba Wallace Truck Series Daytona
Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

This week, the Craftsman Truck Series returned to action to unfortunate results. Bubba Wallace, six-time race winner in the series, has weighed in. Is there anything NASCAR can do to fix these issues?

For Bubba Wallace, the idea is simple – there are a bunch of young drivers in this series and not a lot of veteran influence. Even though there are vets in the Truck Series, they don’t carry the same weight with these drivers as say, a Cup Series driver.

Of course, Cup drivers are only allowed five starts max in the Truck Series every season. The same for Xfinity. So, that presence is not as prevalent.

In response to a post from Dave Moody, Wallace weighed in with his own take on the truck controversy. (Edited for clarity)

“Remember when we complained that the Cup guys were ruining the show,” Wallace wrote. “Ignoring the fact that some weeks the youngins would beat the Cup guys. Or the fact that if you junked the field and got the Cup guys caught up in it they would yank your ass to the side and tell you to get your [crap] together. And those words would make an impression.

“Some of the most important words I was told coming up [through]… ‘Stop crashing s***’ [from] Kevin Harvick. Goes back to the respect talk [Kyle Busch] was saying… Not saying Cup guys need an unlimited amount again. But there was a level of respect when those guys were in the field.

“Seems like majority now don’t care about one another and just DO before they THINK. [I don’t know] anything [though].”

Does Bubba Wallace have a point?

Bubba Wallace is right about the Truck Series

For the young and ambitious drivers in the Truck Series, there is a respect issue. There aren’t drivers in that series that can command respect, and that is no fault of their own. Ben Rhodes told the media this weekend that he talked to the incoming drivers, the young guys in the series, before Daytona.

Hell, NASCAR had a talk with the entire series in the drivers meeting. There is an issue with respect, and it’s because if a Rhodes or Matt Crafton, whoever it is, says “Hey, you really shouldn’t do this,” it’s coming from a peer.

Those two are multi-time champions, but they are still Truck Series drivers. It is hard to take advice or listen to someone you view as, ultimately, an equal.

However, you get a Kyle Busch or Kevin Harvick coming at you with fire in their eyes and the power of the Cup Series behind them, it changes things. They command respect, they have the ears of the top drivers and teams in the sport.

That why, when you see Bubba Wallace talking to Rajah Caruth after Friday’s mess of a race, that is a good thing. Mentors are needed in racing. And, I hate to say it, but it will take a few Cup Series guys yelling in these other drivers’ faces or someone getting hurt for things to change.

At 18-25 years old, you might feel invincible in the race car or truck, but danger is always lurking around the corner. Bad, overly aggressive driving does nothing but make the potential worse.