It’s Time For NASCAR Drivers To Stop Treating Themselves As Invincible

Will the Bubba Wallace suspension put an end to on-track retaliations?

There have been too many times this season where drivers have retaliated with their cars.

Joey Logano knocking William Byron into the wall at Darlington Raceway. Noah Gragson attempting to turn Sage Karam at Road America and igniting a Big One. Denny Hamlin running Ross Chastain out of room and sparking a crash at Pocono Raceway. Byron spinning Hamlin out under caution at Texas Motor Speedway. Ty Gibbs playing bumper cars with Ty Dillon on pit road at Texas.

And most recently, Bubba Wallace right-rearing Kyle Larson into the wall at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a crash that totaled their cars as well as Christopher Bell‘s.

It’s disappointing to see. These cars are speeding missiles that can become a weapon at any given moment. Prior to Vegas, none of the above incidents resulted in a suspension (though Gragson’s and Gibbs’ actions certainly warranted them). Even if Wallace’s suspension went against previous precedents this season, NASCAR needed to send a message to the entire field that these actions should not be tolerated.

Especially when there have been mounting safety concerns with the Next Gen car and its impacts. We are currently in a year where there is overwhelming concern for a driver’s well-being immediately after any crash. A lot of drivers may not have been around or even alive to witness NASCAR’s four fatalities between May 2000 and February 2001, but just because safety improvements have been made does not mean that drivers should have the green light to engage in road rage. It doesn’t matter what year it is, there is always an inherent risk in stepping behind the wheel of these automobiles.

Also disappointing is the amount of careless driving exhibited at the finish of these races. While none of these were intentional, Chastain sent AJ Allmendinger spinning into Alex Bowman on the last lap at Circuit of the Americas. Chase Briscoe tried a divebomb move on Tyler Reddick that resulted in both drivers spinning out on the final lap at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track. At Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott pulled a late block on Corey LaJoie that sent the latter crashing in turn 2 on the final lap.

At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, Cup drivers collectively threw caution to the wind by spinning or crashing at least a combined 10 times in the closing laps of the two. That’s not even…