Kevin Harvick offered a blunt critique of the intense conflict between Bubba Wallace and Alex Bowman during Sunday’s NASCAR street race in Chicago, which has put Wallace’s playoff chances in jeopardy. The veteran driver shared his analysis on his podcast following the event.
Wallace faced a major setback at the Chicago Street Course after a late-race collision, described as a “bumper war,” with Bowman. This contact damaged Wallace’s No. 23 car, breaking a critical suspension component called the toe link, causing him to spin and finish 28th, a disappointing outcome.
Wallace’s Playoff Position Weakens After Chicago Incident
Before the clash, Wallace was positioned for a potential top-10 finish, but the damage ultimately dropped him near the playoff bubble. He now holds only a two-point lead over the cutoff, with seven races remaining in the regular season. This result marked his third straight finish outside the top 20, signaling a concerning slump.
Harvick Remarks on the Significance and Aggressiveness of the Crash
During his podcast, Harvick emphasized the urgency surrounding Wallace’s current predicament in the points standings, stressing that he could not afford to fail to finish the race. He described the confrontation with Bowman as aggressive and ill-timed for Wallace’s needs.
It evolved into a little bit of a bumper war going into the last corner. They got connected right there, and so, yeah, it was intense. I think that, ultimately, it wound up taking Bubba out of the race with the things that went on here in Turn 2. I don’t know, you know. I think it was pretty aggressive, and both of these guys are in a unique position, as far as, well, Bubba more so than Alex from a points standpoint. So, not what he needed from the points piece of it, but definitely pretty intense.
—Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Legend
Pressure Mounts as Ryan Preece Gains Ground on Wallace
Harvick pointed out that Ryan Preece has recently outperformed Wallace, closing in rapidly on the playoff cutoff spot and increasing the pressure on Wallace to secure his position.
He elaborated on the point standings context by stating that both Wallace and Bowman are at risk of missing the playoffs as Preece continues to gain.
I think that big-picture point piece of it is super important at this point because both of those guys, in my opinion, are on the verge of being out (of the playoffs). Preece is outrunning them both currently and making up ground pretty quick.
—Kevin Harvick, NASCAR Legend
Upcoming Races Could Be Decisive for Playoff Hopes
Harvick warned that with few races remaining, including another road course and the upcoming Daytona event, both drivers remain vulnerable on the playoff bubble.
Going to another road course, we still have to go to Daytona. I don’t know. Both of those guys are in an uncomfortable position of being on the outside looking in,
he said.
Currently, Bubba Wallace holds 443 points, narrowly ahead of Ryan Preece, who has 441. This marginal difference means every race from here on out is crucial to Wallace’s playoff campaign.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. How did Alex Bowman get a brain injury?
A. In 2022, Bowman’s racing season kicked off by securing the second spot in the Daytona 500 qualifiers. However, during lap 63 of the race, he was involved in a crash, hitting Harrison Burton’s car as it flipped.