Bubba Wallace’s chances of advancing in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs took a severe blow after an aggressive move by team co-owner Denny Hamlin at Kansas Speedway on September 29 cost Wallace a crucial victory. This loss prevented Wallace from securing an automatic spot in the Round of 8, leaving him 26 points behind the cutoff heading into the playoff elimination race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL.
Wallace, who drives for 23XI Racing, struggled at the ROVAL due to the road course’s technical nature, finishing 15th, a position far from enough to move forward in the playoffs. His hopes of clinching the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship effectively ended following Sunday’s race. However, a significant conversation between Wallace and Hamlin took place the day before at Charlotte, attempting to resolve tensions stemming from their clash at Kansas Speedway.
Wallace Opens Up to Hamlin in a Candid Exchange Regarding Kansas Incident
The most intense conflict Wallace expressed to Hamlin was not directly about the last-lap contact that forced Wallace against the wall. Instead, it centered on deeper frustrations Wallace held during their first real conversation since the Kansas event, which occurred on Saturday before the Charlotte race. The discussion reportedly took some by surprise but yielded some understanding between the two.
Wallace described the talk as a sincere dialogue born from a peaceful place.
“It was a good, heart-to-heart conversation,”
Wallace said.
“It came from a place of peace. And went better than I thought it would. He shared his side of things. And I shared mine. And we had common ground. I told him — and it was kind of funny — I kind of sent him on a detour when I said, ‘You can go first.’ And then five seconds in, I said, ‘Just so you know, I’m not mad about getting fenced going for the win.’”
He elaborated,
“That was two competitors going for a win. And so as much so as it didn’t work out, I have to respect that.”
Wallace’s principal disappointment was not the move itself, but the fact that Chase Elliott, piloting a Chevrolet, overtook both Hamlin and Wallace—who drive Toyota vehicles—to capture the win from third place in the final corner.
“My biggest thing was Toyota didn’t win,”
Wallace remarked.
“And before I left my motorhome after the race, I texted the Toyota reps apologizing that we didn’t win. We had five (Toyotas) in the top five to take the green flag on the last restart. And none of us won.”
He added,
“I just told Chase, ‘We alley oop’d that for him.’ He appreciated it. It was all of the people that got affected. That is where my frustration came from.”
Wallace Criticized Hamlin’s Handling of the Aftermath Following Kansas
In addition to Wallace’s frustration over the outcome, he was also displeased with how Hamlin managed the incident publicly and privately in the days following Kansas. Hamlin, who races for Joe Gibbs Racing on race days while co-owning Wallace’s 23XI Racing team with NBA legend Michael Jordan, addressed the final-lap confrontation during his “Actions Detrimental” podcast the day after the race.
In his podcast, Hamlin emphasized his position as a competitor first.
“Sunday was about Denny the driver, not Denny the owner.”
Wallace wished the conflict had been resolved sooner to avoid distraction during a critical playoff period.
“It was just the way it was kind of handled behind the scenes. It just kept going, kept adding fuel to the fire,”
he said.
“And I hate that it got to that point. And I expressed my displeasure to Denny (on Saturday), and he totally respected that. I’m a guy that we have confrontation, and it is not settled — like it is lingering, and now I’m in this spot where I’m 25, 26 points out.”
Wallace explained how the ongoing issues affected his focus during the week leading up to the Charlotte race—an effect he regarded as unfair to his team.
“I expressed to him, that what you need from your driver is to be at 110 percent focused on what to do, how to execute. … I had a dark cloud over my mind all week long, man. It’s not fair to my team. I expressed that. He respected that. And, frankly, the conversation allows him to see things from a different perspective. Denny usually doesn’t do that. But it allowed him to have that opportunity.”
Missed Chances at Kansas Seal Wallace’s Playoff Fate
Wallace’s best shot at securing advancement in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs was at Kansas Speedway, where he held the lead late in the race. When asked about his car’s performance after the ROVAL, Wallace gave a clear, straightforward response that summed up his week of struggles: “Last week.”
His defeat at Kansas, paired with a lackluster showing on a course that traditionally does not suit his style, now leaves Wallace’s championship aspirations ended earlier than hoped. The incident and ensuing tension with Hamlin appeared to play a significant role in the unraveling of his playoff campaign.
WHAT A FINISH. CHASE ELLIOTT GETS BY BUBBA WALLACE AND DENNY HAMLIN TO WIN AT KANSAS! pic.twitter.com/QkSw4rSWt2
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 28, 2025
Sunday was about Denny the driver, not Denny the owner. 🤷♂️
This week's Actions Detrimental is out now! 🔥
Spotify: https://t.co/UJPOecjbCK
Apple: https://t.co/vAybg7bs3j
YouTube: https://t.co/LuFQYitFkc pic.twitter.com/crsPIAy6yt— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) September 29, 2025
