‘Kyle Larson & Joey Logano Are Good at Pulling Jerk Moves’: Back When Bubba Wallace Accused His NASCAR Peers of Questionable Driving Etiquette

Bubba Wallace debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017 after showcasing his talent in the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series. For the past four seasons, he has been a key driver for 23XI Racing, a team co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. With 247 starts under his belt in the sport’s top tier, Wallace has secured two wins and, along the way, formed strong opinions about some of his competitors.

In an interview with Jeff Gluck from back in 2019, Wallace candidly shared his thoughts, stating, “(Kyle) Larson and (Joey) Logano are good (at) pulling jerk moves — ones that are like, ‘Come on. Really?’ Logano’s probably the best at it. Whether he’s trying to come back through the field or lap us, he’ll cut you off.”

“Then Larson put me in a fence in the 600 into (Turn) 1 because the top had the momentum down the front stretch. He was trying to get up in that hole, and he was not clear. Put me in the fence,” added Wallace.

Although Wallace and Larson have had a somewhat contentious relationship, marked by on-track clashes and heated moments, they have also demonstrated mutual respect and accountability.

Their most recent interaction occurred during a race at Richmond Raceway, where Wallace spun Larson out with two laps remaining. Larson, who was defending fourth place at the time, ended up in the infield grass as the fifth caution of the race kicked the event into overtime.

Despite the incident, Larson managed to recover and finish in P3, while Wallace, who had been running in the top five, slipped to 13th. After the race, Wallace approached the #5 Chevrolet driver, placed his hands on his shoulders, and offered an apology. In a gesture of sportsmanship, Larson smiled, tapped Wallace on the side, and replied, “It all worked out for me. It’s all good.”

Past Feuds Between Larson and Wallace

The vendetta between Larson and Wallace has a history of heated moments on the track. One notable clash occurred during the 2022 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. On lap 95, while attempting to pass Wallace, Larson drifted into his car, sending the #23 Toyota into the wall.

Wallace responded swiftly, appearing to intentionally hit the right rear of Larson’s car upon coming off the wall. The collision forced both drivers into the infield, escalating tensions further. After getting out of his car, Wallace approached Larson angrily, gesturing before shoving him multiple times until race officials intervened.

NASCAR deemed Wallace’s actions unacceptable and suspended him for the following race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. If Carson Hocevar adopts the same aggressive approach in Cup Series races as he did in the Truck Series, there’s a chance Wallace might find himself swapping out Larson and Logano’s names for Hocevar’s in his list of on-track jerk move pullers!