nascar
Kevin Harvick is sympathetic to Bubba Wallace following his Martinsville breakdown – but insisted he’s “got to keep it together.”
Wallace endured a frustrating Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway last week. The 32-year-old caused a 15-car wreck before suffering a DNF and leaving the iconic race with just a single point.
The 23XI Racing driver started the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series strong; he was in contention for race wins at Daytona and Atlanta, while recording four top-ten finishes in his first five races in 2026. But he has since struggled and dropped eight spots in the standings after Martinsville.
In the race, Wallace suffered contact from Carson Hocevar, which triggered a multi-car incident that not only ended the 32-year-old’s race but also led to his slide in the standings. Wallace was visibly infuriated following the race, as he walked away with a 36th-place finish.
Speaking on the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the former Cup Series champion addressed the incident. He outlined why Wallace was likely so infuriated by the result.
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Wallace finished 36th after suffering a DNF at Martinsville (Image: GETTY)
“I think, well, I know, Bubba got riled up because Carson put him three-wide on a restart and put him in a bad spot, and Bubba didn’t like that,” Harvick began. “But you know, it’s Martinsville. I’ve lost my temper a bunch of times at Martinsville and probably done stuff like this, too.
“Bubba just lost his cool. He didn’t like the move that Carson put on him early in the race, and then kind of lost his cool there and wound up crashing the 77 and himself and several others, so unfortunate for all the other guys that are involved.
“It wasn’t long ago we were talking about Bubba and Tyler being 1-2 in the points – Bubba’s 11th in the points. When you look at that, and you’re the guy who is 11th in the points, and your teammate’s the guy who’s won four races and leading the points, that’s a lot of pressure.
“And I promise you that he’s frustrated that he’s not been the guy that’s won the race, but you’ve got to keep it together. You can’t lose your cool like that.”
The stark contrast in fortunes between the two 23XI Racing drivers is likely affecting Wallace. The gap between Wallace and Tyler Reddick has only grown, especially after the latter’s win at Darlington last month.
The Cup Series season continues with the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, April 12.
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