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Motorsport

Bubba Wallace "ran me into the fence" says Alex Bowman after intense battle

Alex Bowman Bubba Wallace NASCAR Chicago Hendrick Motorsports

In the closing laps of the NASCAR Cup race at Chicago, a tense battle unfolded at the backend of the top ten. Alex Bowman and Bubba Wallace were trading paint and slamming fenders in a dramatic battle for position.

However, it wasn't just a top ten on the line in this situation. Bowman and Wallace were also matched up in Round 2 of NASCAR's new in-season challenge, and the driver who finished higher would advance into the next round. The prize for winning this tournament is $1 million, equal to a victory in the All-Star Race.

As the two drivers battled, there was a lot of contact that ended with Wallace spinning off the nose of Bowman. While the Hendrick Motorsports driver went on to finish eighth, Wallace ended the day in 28th as he was eliminated from the in-season challenge.

The two drivers shared a cordial conversation after the race as they talked through what happened on the track.

"I didn't really expect it when I passed him [Wallace] and we got into (Turn) 12 and he just shipped me, and then he ran me into the fence in (Turn) 1, and ran us into the fence off of (Turn) 2," said Bowman after the race.

"He's just not clear. I don't have anywhere to go. We're going straight and we just got hooked together and he ends up crashing. I didn't really feel like it was necessary."

The impact of the $1 million challenge

This battle was intense. 😳 pic.twitter.com/f3Q4aNJjlC
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 6, 2025

Bowman later added: "I guess the in-season tournament is more important than I expected."

In the end, Bowman is now one of the final eight drivers in a tournament that began with 32, and the last representative for Hendrick Motorsports. Bowman noted that the challenge wasn't even on his mind at the time, and wondered if that's what caused Wallace to race him as hard as he did.

"I don't know if that's worth driving into the corner and clearing the guy out and then driving him into the fence and doing all the things that happened there," concluded Bowman.

Photos from Chicago - Race

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Nascar electric cars

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Nascar electric cars

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Nascar electric car

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Nascar electric cars

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

General view

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Fans

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Brad Keselowski, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

General view

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota, Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Chris Buescher, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Fans

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Katherine Legge, Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

General view

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

2025 - Chicago - Sunday

NASCAR Cup

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In this article

Nick DeGroot

NASCAR Cup

Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace

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