The NASCAR world is still reeling from the jaw-dropping incident at Darlington Raceway, where a late-race clash between Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson flipped the Goodyear 400 upside down. With just four laps to go, Larson, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, abruptly slowed to avoid Tyler Reddick’s wreck, catching Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota off guard. The result? A rear-end collision that spun Larson out, triggered a caution, and handed Denny Hamlin a controversial victory. Fans erupted, conspiracy theories swirled, and now, Wallace has finally spoken out, shedding light on the chaos that cost Ryan Blaney a shot at the win.
Wallace, visibly frustrated, told The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck he didn’t expect Larson to brake so hard after Reddick’s minor wall scrape. “It wasn’t warranted for him to check up that much,” Wallace said, apologizing to Blaney, his close friend, for derailing his playoff hopes. The incident sparked accusations of race manipulation, with some fans alleging Wallace intentionally wrecked Larson to favor his 23XI Racing co-owner, Hamlin. But NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck debunked the conspiracy on The Teardown podcast, pointing to data showing Larson’s heavy braking as the trigger. “The in-car cameras and analytics are clear—Larson slowed dramatically, and Bubba just ran into him,” Gluck explained.
Larson, who finished a dismal 37th, took responsibility via his crew chief, Cliff Daniels. “Kyle felt bad about causing the caution,” Daniels revealed, noting Larson was trying to stay low and avoid the leaders. “He checked up early to steer clear of Reddick, but Bubba didn’t anticipate it.” Larson’s radio chatter confirmed his embarrassment: “I was checking up, so that’s on me.” The admission silenced claims of foul play, but it didn’t quell the fan outrage over the race’s outcome.
The fallout has been intense. Blaney, who led late, was robbed of a Darlington crown, finishing second-guessing what could have been. Hamlin, capitalizing on a stellar pit stop, celebrated his 56th career win, cheekily thanking Larson in his post-race interview. Meanwhile, social media exploded with heated debates—some calling Wallace reckless, others branding Larson overly cautious. The incident has reignited discussions about split-second decisions in high-stakes racing and their ripple effects on the standings. Wallace now sits eighth, while Larson dropped to sixth.
As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway, all eyes are on Wallace and Larson. Will tensions spill over, or will cooler heads prevail? One thing’s certain: Darlington’s dramatic finish has added fuel to an already fiery 2025 season. With playoff hopes hanging in the balance, every move counts, and this bombshell clash will linger in the minds of drivers and fans alike.[](https://www.newsweek.com/sports/racing/nascar-expert-shuts-down-bubba-wallacekyle-larson-conspiracy-darlington-2056830)[](https://www.newsweek.com/sports/racing/bubba-wallace-addresses-controversial-kyle-larson-incident-that-changed-darlington-outcome-2056253)[](https://www.essentiallysports.com/nascar-news-bubba-wallace-freed-of-darlington-allegations-as-kyle-larson-publicly-concedes-embarrassing-mistake/)
