Remember the 1995 clash in Bristol? Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Rusty Wallace had a violent exchange of words after the former spun the latter. But, despite everything, they shared a mutual respect for each other off the track. NASCAR has historically maintained a balance between competitiveness and respect, with friendships frequently taking a backseat once the helmets are put on.
Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace however, might be entering the opposite of the NASCAR predicament due to the Las Vegas incident: pals who became irate rivals following a race-changing collision. Blaney’s obvious annoyance and Wallace’s vehement radio remarks brought the tension to light. However, what caused this conflict? Why was it more painful than usual? What does this signify for their future friendship?
How Las Vegas tested their friendship on track
Although their friendship has withstood NASCAR’s competitive mentality, Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney’s Las Vegas wreck put it to the test. Even the strongest relationships are susceptible to rivalry, as both have acknowledged feeling jealous of one another’s achievements. Both of their races were derailed when their conflict ended in frustration rather than a friendly skirmish.
Wallace’s No. 23 had nowhere to go as Blaney’s No. 12 drifted up a little as the pack gathered into Turn 3 late in the race. Both races ended in frustration as the inevitable encounter slammed them both hard into the wall.
Over the radio, Wallace was frustrated, “Blaney came up on me!” Meanwhile, Blaney’s spotter confirmed the damage was significant, advising him to bring the car back if possible. But Blaney, in a moment of sheer exasperation, snapped: “I ain’t driving this f*ing thing back! It’s destroyed.” Wallace, still trying to make sense of the incident, vented again: “I don’t know how much f*ing higher I can go—fing idiots.”
On Lap 196 of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 16, 2025, drivers Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace were involved in a serious multi-car collision. The collision happened during a final-stage restart when Noah Gragson and Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota, together with Blaney’s No. 12 Ford, were four wide coming out of Turn 2. Contact followed as the gap shrank, launching Wallace and Blaney into the wall.
Wallace ran among the top five until the accident before the wreckage. The No. 23 23XI Racing driver earned 14 points for the day after finishing fourth in both Stages 1 and 2. After the mishap, he resumed and ended in 28th place, one lap behind.
“Yeah, we were four-wide there, and honestly, I thought I had two (cars) inside and one outside of me,” Blaney said post-race. “And I watched one little replay, and I had two outside, one inside, so I have to go back and see if I heard it wrong or if there was some miscommunication. I feel like I probably pitched those guys to the fence along the two, so it was probably my fault.”
The No. 12 team attempted to fix the vehicle in the garage after the crash, but eventually determined it could not return to competition.
“Just one of those weekends it seems like nothing could go right. But you stick with it, stay in the game and the sun will come up tomorrow and we’ll be at the race track next week. That’s all you can do. But it is frustrating. It’s easy to get down. I just want to go home honestly and hang out with my wife tonight and just not think about racing for the evening and be ready to go Monday morning,” Blaney added.
This event highlights how fierce NASCAR racing is and how the sport’s inherent difficulties may cause even fierce rivals like Wallace and Blaney to clash. When Wallace became the center of controversy during the 2020 season, Blaney was one of his loudest supporters, publicly backing him amid NASCAR’s cultural shift. Their friendship wasn’t just social media deep—Blaney stood by Wallace when it mattered.
After a race, two close friends who would typically be making jokes would have a rare moment of tension, but this time, there was nothing to laugh about. Although they are truly frustrated, history indicates that they will get over it, just as Blaney did with Elliott. Friendships in NASCAR only last so long after the green flag is dropped, as the Las Vegas wreck serves as a reminder. It remains to be determined if this is a recurring incident or only another racing incident.
When Wallace became the center of controversy during the 2020 season, Blaney was one of his loudest supporters, publicly backing him amid NASCAR’s cultural shift. Their friendship wasn’t just social media deep—Blaney stood by Wallace when it mattered.
When Friendships Collide: NASCAR’s History of Teammates Turned Rivals
Bubba Wallace has already spoken out about similar incidents. Wallace said that his annoyance overcame him during his 2022 collision with Kyle Larson at the same track, saying, “I want to apologize for my actions. I ought to be better than that.” Ryan Blaney has also discussed the delicate balance between maintaining friendships and racing aggressively. “When you race against guys you’re close with, it’s tough. You don’t want to step over that line.” Blaney said after an earlier incident involving Chase Elliott. It is unclear if Wallace and Blaney’s relationship will change as a result of the 2025 Las Vegas incident, but history indicates that conflicts don’t often go away easily.
Dale Earnhardt and Geoff Bodine had one of NASCAR’s most notorious rivalries. They respected one another even if they weren’t the greatest of friends—until a serious collision at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1987 sparked a protracted rivalry. Although Earnhardt, also referred to as “The Intimidator,” drove aggressively, Bodine thought Earnhardt had gone too far.
Bodine didn’t mince words after the incident, telling reporters, “I have no respect for someone who drives like that.” Never one to back down, Earnhardt retaliated with the now-famous statement, “Rubbing is racing.” Tensions between them lasted for years before finally subsiding when their rivalry spilled off the track.
Another instance of teammates becoming competitors was the relationship between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. At the beginning of their careers, the two Hendrick Motorsports icons got along well, but Johnson’s supremacy in the late 2000s put their friendship to the test. Things reached a boiling point at Martinsville in 2010 after Johnson controversially bumped and ran Gordon toward the end of the race. Over the radio, Gordon answered in frustration, saying, “The [expletive] 48 is testing my patience.” Johnson minimized the incident in post-race interviews, stating, “I race everyone hard, including Jeff. I don’t expect special treatment,” he said.
They maintained their professionalism, but there was no denying the strain. “It was tough watching Jimmie win all those championships,” Gordon later said. The event served as a metaphor for how rivalries may arise even inside the same company. Personal relationships don’t always withstand the rigors of competitiveness, as NASCAR has often demonstrated.
History indicates that rivalries at high speeds have a lasting effect, whether they were between Earnhardt and Bodine, Gordon and Johnson, or Wallace and Blaney. Over time, some friendships mend, while others stay broken. Where Wallace and Blaney’s dispute fits into NASCAR’s lengthy history of racing feuds will only become clear with time.
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