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Bubba Wallace speaks out about role in late Kyle Larson wreck at Darlington

Nick Profile Picby:Nick Geddes•04/06/25•

NickGeddesNews

Bubba Wallace
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The turning point of Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway came with just four laps to go in the race. Bubba Wallace got into the back of Kyle Larson, bringing out the race’s final caution.

Before Larson’s second spin of the day, Ryan Blaney had successfully chased down Tyler Reddick to take the lead. Blaney had the win in sight. But that caution meant the race would be decided off one final overtime restart and before that, one final stop down pit road. Blaney’s team struggled all afternoon down pit road and this time was no different. He came off fourth behind Denny Hamlin, Reddick and William Byron.

Hamlin’s pit crew was on it, and he took advantage. He had the perfect restart and took the checkered flag two laps later. Blaney is left wondering what could have been — if Wallace, his best friend in the garage, hadn’t made contact with Larson.

Wallace spoke with Jeff Gluck of The Athletic after the race, saying that Larson checked up more than he anticipated after Reddick got into the wall slightly down the backstretch. He apologized for ruining Blaney’s day and also whispered something into his ear on pit road. Blaney declined to reveal what Wallace told him.

Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson contact changes outcome at Darlington

NASCAR released the footage of both Wallace and Larson’s in-car cams during their contact. Reddick clearly brushes the wall, Larson slows up and Wallace runs into him.

Larson did not speak with reporters after the race. His crew chief, Cliff Daniels, did, however.

“Cliff Daniels said Kyle told him he felt bad about being part of the last caution,” Gluck wrote on X. “They were trying to stay out of the way of the leaders and stay low, and Larson checked up early to make sure he didn’t get into Reddick, but Bubba didn’t know Larson was going to slow down that much.”

Both Wallace and Larson were among the favorites coming into the race. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for either of them. Larson spun on his own on Lap 4 and spent a large chunk of the race in the garage getting repairs. Wallace was competitive early on but fell back in Stage 3. He finished P21, Larson 37th.