Bubba Wallace and Aric Almirola engaged in a heated dispute during a rain delay Monday in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
During the red-flag period, the two drivers could be seen heatedly discussing an issue on pit road. Almirola suddenly shoved Wallace, who did not retaliate.
A NASCAR security official quickly intervened to separate the two. Wallace took a couple of steps back, possibly surprised, before getting in Almirola’s face to continue making his point.
We had a red-flag disagreement between @Aric_Almirola and @BubbaWallace! pic.twitter.com/8h81VWWWcY
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 29, 2023
There is no definitive word on what sparked the dispute, although earlier in the race, Almirola pinched Wallace into the outside wall.
This is the contact that they showed in the media center. https://t.co/hydWWe1Pdl
— Jared Haas (@RealJaredHaas) May 29, 2023
NASCAR fans wasted no time reacting to the incident.
Bubba Wallace doing bubba Wallace things
— Santiago G. Brusnin 🇺🇾 (@BrusninS) May 29, 2023
Not a @BubbaWallace hater. Actually really like the dude but hated what he did and how he treated @KyleLarsonRacin last year. He wasn’t looking so tough with @Aric_Almirola who’s the same size as him 😂
— The DOMinant One (@Alien_Illusion) May 29, 2023
I swear that NASCAR security guy must be ex-FBI he just always seems to randomly show up when he knows things are brewing 😂
— Kyle (@ekylef) May 29, 2023
Seems out of character for Aric. I’m curious what Bubba said that made him react that way.
— Rob Braun (@Sunday_Money11) May 29, 2023
That’s an aggressive way to say he don’t like the new Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream
— Jim (@Cakalacman) May 29, 2023
Bubba stole his job at Petty, and Aric’s still bitter.
— Jeff (@mr4time) May 29, 2023
And wasn’t that security guy in between Chastain andGragson? He gets all the action. Lol
— Penny Hogan Evans (@nropen) May 29, 2023
[NASCAR]