The finish at Watkins Glen was relatively calm and quiet. Then you have Bubba Wallace, who made sure to confront Christopher Bell for a reason that isn't immediately clear. Wallace had been spun out late by contact from John Hunter Nemechek in the NASCARCup Series race.
As post-race interviews were underway with the top finishers, FS1 turned its attention to pit road. There, Wallace was animated as he spoke with Bell and pleaded his side of the case.
The exchange was mostly one-sided. Wallace was clearly heated and was talking with his hands. Bell, in his usual calm demeanor, didn't react much. Just as Wallace went to walk away the first time, something Bell said made him come back in for another moment.
Bubba Wallace puts his hand to his ear and teases the crowd during driver intros at Martinsville. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Bubba Wallace had an up and down day at Watkins Glen. He managed to score a stage point, but he would ultimately finish P29. The contact late from John Hunter Nemechek definitely didn't help.
Nemechek was on newer tires and could have waited to make the pass. He didn't, and Wallace suffered for it.
The 23 team was one of the many teams saving fuel and tires late. That made it difficult to fend off challenges from others late in the race. Clearly, there is frustration from Wallace after this race. He didn't need another dud of a weekend, and that's unfortunately what he got today.
Whatever the beef with Bell, it will likely not be much of an issue moving forward. These are two Toyota drivers who have a team alliance connecting them. Wallace appeared to speak his piece and Bell chimed in with his. We'll see if this becomes something bigger, but with the All-Star Race coming up, I venture to guess it will go away relatively quickly.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
