In the world of NASCAR’s Chicago street course, the slightest miscalculation can have massive consequences. Its tight corners and lack of passing opportunities mean drivers have to make sudden adjustments, and sometimes do things one wouldn’t have to at a regular oval. One of the moments unfolded during the Grant Park 165 race when Bubba Wallace’s car spun over after contact from Kyle Larson behind the wheel in turn 11. Well, the two drivers share a bit of history, and from the initial view, it looked as if the HMS driver settled his score with Wallace after being heckled at Las Vegas in 2022.

However, there’s a different perspective to this incident that 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin uncovered. Being unbiased and giving the #5 HMS team the benefit of the doubt, he decoded the real reason behind Wallace getting spun in Chicago.

Denny Hamlin explains the peculiar nature of street racing in Chicago

When Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota spun in Turn 11 after contact with Kyle Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet, the incident immediately became a focal point for post-race analysis. Denny Hamlin addressed the situation on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast. Rather than assigning outright blame, Hamlin decoded Larson’s move as a product of the high-pressure environment unique to street courses.

“It’s the risk that you run by dive bombing in there,” Hamlin explained on his podcast, referencing Larson’s aggressive attempt to overtake Wallace. On street circuits like Chicago, overtaking opportunities are rare and often require bold maneuvers. Hamlin elaborated, “A lot of times, you can catch people off guard by doing that, but if they don’t see you, it can really cause a massive pileup.”

Denny Hamlin also provided insight into the communication challenges that teams face during these high-speed exchanges. “There’s just not enough time for the spotter to see the lunge into the corner, expect to process it, press the button, tell the driver, the driver then to process it to leave that extra car width—it’s asking a lot.” This statement underscores the split-second timing required between spotters and drivers, especially in tight sections of the track. And Chicago isn’t a normal oval circuit where the spotters have a bird’s-eye view of every move unfolding on the racetrack.

Even Bubba Wallace understood that the contact was a race-related incident when he got spun by Larson. “You know, late call on the 5 that got us spun. Hated that. Just when you think everything’s going OK, but we were able to jump ship and switch up plans, put us right back in the race.”

A 28th-place finish is far from ideal for a driver who is just hovering above the cutline in the race for the playoffs. But the Chicago race threw a curveball at the #23 team, which saw them get mired in crashes not just once but on multiple occasions. The second instance where he battled with Alex Bowman became a big talking point. But before the old rivalry could spark again, Bubba Wallace came out to clear the air.

Bubba Wallace has no gripe with Alex Bowman after Chicago tussle

After being spun by Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace got tangled with Alex Bowman. The two drivers haven’t been good friends in Chicago in particular. Last year, after Bowman won the race, the 23XI Racing driver slammed his car into the #48 Chevy on a cool-down lap. Therefore, when the two drivers were battling hard for the position, fans expected fireworks, and they delivered.

After trading paint on multiple turns for a top 10 spot, Wallace tried to squeeze in front of Bowman after exiting Turn 2. But the HMS driver wasn’t having it and he sent the #23 car spinning on Lap 70. Well, there was tension in the air after the race, but surprisingly, Wallace didn’t lose his cool; rather had a brief chat to clear the air about the incident. Speaking to NASCAR.com, Wallace made it clear that he had no hard feelings against Bowman after being spun around that cost him a solid points finish.

“I was passing cars, having fun, showing that we keep improving and keep building confidence. We’ll be fine. So hate to see it end that way. It was fun. Fun with the 48. No love lost, all good,” Wallace explained. With a playoffs spot on the line, both drivers were willing to give it their all, and that is what they did. It was hard racing at best, but nothing egregious. But keep an eye out for these two, as we might see more sparks flying in the coming races.