Bubba Wallace reveals brutally honest talk with Denny Hamlin amid lingering effects of dustup at Kansas

While driver and team owner got into it a week ago, Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin didn’t talk until earlier today. Almost a full week went by between Wallace and Hamlin tangling at Kansas and the two NASCAR drivers talking it over between themselves.

Given that it is the NASCAR Playoffs, Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing aren’t doing a lot of competition meetings together, it seems. Today at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the first time that Hamlin and Wallace talked things over.

During his media availability, Bubba Wallace revealed details about the conversation. He gave a little behind-the-scenes look at how it went down.

“It’s definitely a somber week for sure. I hate that it got to this point,” Wallace said at Charlotte. “The lingering effect, but Denny and I just talked 30 minutes ago. And it was a good heart-to-heart conversation. Came from a place of peace. Went better than I thought it would. He shared his side of things, and I shared mine, and we had common ground. I told him, and it was kind of funny because I kind of sent him on a detour when I said, because I said, you can go first. Then he started talking, and five seconds in, I said, ‘Just so you know, I’m not mad about getting fenced, going for the win.’ And his eyes were like, oh, well, I need a second to reposition where I’m going to go.

“Just so we’re all clear on that, like, that’s not going to be the last time that I’m battling for a wi,n and it doesn’t go away in that sort of fashion. Whether that’s Denny or anybody in the field. But I’ll be a little gracious here and say that 95% of people on this side of the catchfence, look at that move as ‘Oof,’ right? ‘Oof!’ That’s it. While the other 5%, whether they’re buddies or whatever, they don’t care. They see the other side of it.”

Bubba Wallace was very clear. He didn’t care that he lost the race – he cared that he didn’t really get a chance to race it out. Drivers have made similar complaints before.

“I don’t fault Denny Hamlin for racing for a win, racing for his team and his sponsors,” Wallace continued. “That’s why when I get the question a lot, ‘What’s it like racing Denny on the racetrack?’ No offense to them, but I could give two s**ts. Because he’s a competitor and he has labeled it that way. So, that was two competitors going for a win. And so, as much as it didn’t work out, I have to respect that.”

That one overtime completely changed the NASCAR Playoffs. Bubba Wallace went from possibly winning his way to the Round of 8 to -26 below the cutline. So, now, Wallace needs the perfect race and then some to advance.

Denny Hamlin messed up. He knows that. But he isn’t going to apologize for racing. It wasn’t that he raced hard for the win, but how he did it. Leaving the bottom lane open for Chase Elliott to zoom on by was a mistake. The bottom lane was an option entering Turn 3. Instead, the 11 ran the 23 up the track and into the wall.

So, Bubba Wallace appears to be moving on. The sting from Kansas won’t go away very quickly. As far as he and Hamlin are concerned, it looks like water under the bridge now.