Bubba Wallace managed to have two top 5 finishes over the weekend in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and in the Cup Series All-Star Race as he battled through boos and an apparent hack of his radio communications. Wallace brushed it off as he focuses on the NASCAR playoffs.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about the treatment Wallace receives at racetracks. Earnhardt talked about what he saw at Darlington Raceway the week before the All-Star event at North Wilkesboro.
“I was at Darlington a couple weeks ago. We’re on this stage, and it’s the 75 greatest drivers all lined up. Outside of me, these are the greatest drivers that have been involved in the sport. All distinguished, of varying ages, everybody’s there to have this great experience. And the drivers are being introduced and walking by us, shaking our hand one after the other. And it’s this moment where everybody, you would think that it would be a moment where you’d behave,” he explained on “The Dale Jr. Download.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Dr Pepper Toyota, and Ty Dillon, driver of the #77 Honest Charley Speed Shop Chevrolet, battle for position during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on May 14, 2023 in Darlington, South Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
“And there’s this one guy at the rail, the rail of the fans that are down on the front straightaway, there’s one guy at the rail. Everybody for the most part is just cheering. There’s a couple, you know they give a couple people a hard time, Denny (Hamlin) and all that. A smattering of boos. Nothing crazy.
“But Bubba gets introduced and walks across the stage and there’s this guy right in front of me and Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth and everyone else there, screaming at the top of his lungs, ‘Go home! Go home! Go home!’ over and over, as loud as he could.
“And it was so obnoxious. I really wanted to jump down there and go, ‘Hey, could you stop? Is this really what you want to do right in this moment? Is this how you want to behave right now in front of all these incredible people that you’re standing in front of? Richard Petty and all these legends, you’re going to be acting this way?’
BUBBA WALLACE APPEARS TO FLIP OFF CAMERA; NASCAR REPORTEDLY INVESTIGATING APPARENT HACK INTO DRIVER’S RADIO
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #3 Sun Drop Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour Window World 125 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17, 2023 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
“And I thought man, that’s one day in Bubba’s life. And I was thinking, I know there’s people out there who have hated Kyle Busch and hated other drivers, and they probably have said some nasty things. But it just made me really disappointed.”
As he alluded to Wallace’s alleged radio incident, Earnhardt said the No. 23 driver goes through too much.
“I will tell you man, Bubba Wallace puts up with more s— than anybody deserves,” he added.
By all accounts, Wallace is having a good season with 23XI Racing.
Wallace is 15th in points and is projected to make the playoffs if he continues his pace up. A win would definitely help his chances. The Coke 600 is this weekend and Wallace finished 14th at Charlotte last season.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Bubba Wallace, #1 TRICON Garage Pristine Auction Toyota, looks on prior to the Saturday afternoon NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Tyson 250 race on May 20, 2023 at the North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
He has three top fives this season and four top 10s.
