Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes issue with Bubba Wallace for taking responsibility with Joey Logano dustup

Bubba Wallace took responsibility for the Lap 172 crash that ended his day in this past Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t think he needed to.

Wallace hit the wall with Joey Logano in his back bumper. From there, Wallace spun out in front of the field and chaos ensued. Earnhardt said on Tuesday’s “Dale Jr. Download” podcast he thought the incident was “just a racing deal.”

“I know Bubba took blame for it,” Earnhardt said. “Bubba bounced off the outside wall and come across the nose of the 22 [Logano]. They were tight, though. I didn’t really think Bubba had to take responsibility. I think it was just a racing deal.”

When Earnhardt first watched it, he assumed Wallace would be pissed at Logano. From his perspective, Logano used him up.

“I watched that, and I thought, ‘Man, I bet Bubba’s pissed.’ I thought Joey kind of [used him up]. Logano was not hitting him but at his left rear,” Earnhardt said. “… I was like, ‘Oh, man, I would be pissed if I was Bubba.’ But he got out and he’s like, ‘My fault, man.'”

After leaving the infield care center, Wallace spoke to the media. He immediately took the blame.

“For sure,” Wallace said when asked if he takes the blame, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “No, I blame it on my team, it’s never the driver’s fault. The fans are going to have a field day with that one.”

Bubba Wallace slumping after disappointing Texas run

Logano went onto win at Texas. Wallace finished a season-worst P33. He has now finished 19th or worse in three of his last four starts, slipping to 11th in the playoff standings. The start of the season has still been a positive one for Wallace, as he’s accumulated 100 stage points, the most of any driver without a trip to Victory Lane.

“Man, [crew chief] Charles [Denike] we had a nice talk after I got out of the car, and they just laid out all the positives that we went through this weekend,” Wallace added. “So, that’s what we’re going to hold our heads to. I hate that I got into the fence. I was trying to give the 22 room, and then just got the wall and started chaos.

“So, hate it for my team and everybody involved. But, man, we were making progress from the start of the weekend, and it was going to shape up to be a good day. But nothing’s ever for certain. So, it is what it is.”