Bubba Wallace reacts to getting 'dumped' by Austin Dillon late in Clash at the Coliseum

David Suggs

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Bubba Wallace reacts to getting 'dumped' by Austin Dillon late in Clash at the Coliseum image

Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon brought the fireworks to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday night.

The duo found themselves jostling for position often during NASCAR's preseason Clash at the Coliseum, routinely going back and forth at the front of the pack.

With just 10 laps to go, Dillon and Wallace were in prime position to make a run at the checkered flag. At least until Dillon rear-ended Wallace, spinning the No. 23 car out and ending Wallace's chances.

Wallace didn't seem pleased by the maneuver at the time, and after the race, he took to Twitter to offer candid thoughts on Dillon's move. Let's just say subtlety is not one of Wallace's best traits. 

The 23XI Racing driver made sure to make his feelings known on the track as well, veering his whip into Dillon's before the ensuing restart. 

Both drivers had their say right after the dust settled. Unsurprisingly, they had differing views of the incident.

MORE: NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum results

"The No. 3 just never tried to make a corner, he just always would run into my left rear," Wallace said. "I got run into the fence by him down the straightaway on that restart, so I gave him a shot. And then we get dumped. It sucks."

Dillon said that his action was a consequence of the nature of Sunday's race. Numerous caution flags broke up the rhythm of the event. In those conditions, Dillon said, collisions were bound to happen.

"I chose the restart there behind Martin (Truex Jr.) thinking that if we could get off (Turn) 2, then I could just race," Dillon said. "But it just doesn't go that way. You're just getting beat. . . . He was probably pretty frustrated at that point."

There are certainly worse things than getting wrecked in an exhibition race. But given Wallace and Dillon's history, don't be surprised to see tensions reignite during the NASCAR Cup Series season.

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.