The Grant Park 165 Chicago Street Race ended with controversy as Bubba Wallace, driver of the No. 23 car, collided with Alex Bowman’s No. 48 during the cool-down lap. The incident occurred after the checkered flag, with Bowman’s window net down and possibly loosened safety belts.

The collision appeared to be retaliation for an earlier incident during the race when Bowman missed a turn and drove through Wallace’s car, causing significant damage and effectively ending Wallace’s competitive run. Bowman apologized to Wallace during a rain delay interview, though it’s unclear if Wallace received the message.

Bowman reiterated his apology to Wallace and his team in his post-race interview, acknowledging his mistake on the track.

The incident raises questions about potential disciplinary action from NASCAR. For comparison, Carson Hocevar recently received a 25-point penalty and a $50,000 fine for turning Harrison Burton under caution in a previous race.

NASCAR typically releases penalty reports on Tuesday mornings following race weekends. As such, any potential disciplinary action against Wallace would likely be announced at that time. This gives NASCAR officials time to review the incident thoroughly, consider precedents, and make an informed decision on whether penalties are warranted.

Fans, teams, and media will be closely watching for the Tuesday report to see how NASCAR addresses this post-race incident between Wallace and Bowman. The decision could have implications not only for the drivers involved but also for how similar situations might be handled in the future.

As the dust settles, debate continues on whether Wallace’s actions constitute a “racing incident” or if they warrant punishment similar to Hocevar’s. NASCAR officials will likely review the incident to determine if any penalties are necessary.

Image: Tyler Summerfield/ Full Throttle Media