Chaos is one of the most common sights on a racetrack, and it almost seems unavoidable. This becomes all the more likely on certain tracks where speedways have earned a notorious reputation for mayhem and multi-car wrecks.
Daytona, one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR schedule, is infamous for massive crashes. The recent Coke Zero Sugar 400 proved no different when an early multi-car wreck involved some of the biggest names in the field. While 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was largely held responsible for triggering the chaos, his spotter Freddie Kraft had a different story to tell.
What Happened at Daytona, and What was Wallace’s Reaction to It?
On the “Door Bumper Clear” podcast, Jeff Gluck joined Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin, and Karsyn Elledge to break down the season’s last outing at Daytona. While dissecting the contest, they addressed the elephant in the room: the big crash on lap 27 involving Wallace.
The sequence started when Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse Racing led the pack while Wallace and Ryan Blaney battled for second. Wallace found himself three-wide with Joey Logano and Kyle Busch as the field approached the upcoming turn. That’s when everything went sideways.
Wallace initially made contact with Logano and Busch as he got loose. The No. 22 Ford managed to steer through from the middle without much damage, but Wallace spun straight into the grass. In contrast, Busch spun and collected several other cars. The crash ended the day for multiple drivers after just 27 laps.
Following the crash, many blamed Wallace on social media for causing the wreck that wiped out a good chunk of the field. While most initially reacted by pointing fingers at Wallace for the incident, upon closer examination, many fans also sided with Wallace and acknowledged the series of events that led to the multi-car crash.
As for Wallace himself, after his visit from the medical care center, the No. 23 driver assumed the responsibility for the chaos and said:
“I hate that. I’ll take the blame for it, unfortunately, just a c**p deal. Everything was going too good, too early to be all true. So something was bound to happen. I hate that we were involved in it, but hopefully, we can get the 45 [Reddick] in still. So, all in all, we’re locked in. Let’s get focused for Darlington, and I’m okay.”
Why Does Bubba Wallace’s Spotter Blame Himself for the Daytona Wreck?
On the podcast, when Baldwin wondered if Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota ran out of gas before triggering the chain reaction, Kraft took full responsibility. He bluntly admitted, “If there’s anybody to blame, it’s me for not getting that we were three wide already.”
Kraft praised Wallace’s heightened awareness behind the wheel, revealing that the No. 23 driver knew exactly where Logano was positioned before the crash. However, he continued, “He knew Joey was on his quarter panel. He probably didn’t know that eight [Busch] was down there, so that’s my fault.”
This led Kraft to dig deeper into what actually caused the wreck. He explained the domino effect that started the chaos: “I think the wreck got triggered when the five [Larson] got to our bumper just a little bit. He didn’t do anything wrong; it wasn’t overaggressive by any means. He just knocks us a little bit squirly, and we get on the 22’s [Logano] fender and couldn’t get off of it.”
ALSO READ: ‘He Didn’t Do Anything’ — Bubba Wallace’s Spotter Downplays Ryan Blaney’s Miraculous Daytona Win
Though Kraft took the blame off Wallace’s shoulders, it didn’t change the disappointing result. Wallace’s day ended after just 27 laps, along with his teammate Riley Herbst, in another frustrating Daytona experience.
Fortunately for Wallace, he had already locked his postseason berth with his Indianapolis victory a few weeks earlier. He’s now preparing for the playoff season alongside teammate Tyler Reddick, who earned his spot by ranking in the points standings. The crash may have stung, but it won’t keep Wallace from chasing his championship dreams this fall.