“Team orders or smart racing?” — NASCAR fans are in a frenzy after Bubba Wallace’s late-race move helps boss Denny Hamlin take the win at The Lady in Black.
Darlington Raceway served up another dose of high-speed heartbreak and high-stakes drama—this time with a twist straight out of a conspiracy thread. As Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag in dominant fashion, many fans weren’t just watching who won—they were watching how.
And the name at the center of the storm? Bubba Wallace.
With just laps to go, Wallace—racing strong all afternoon—suddenly seemed to ease off, allowing Hamlin, his team owner at 23XI Racing, to pull ahead and never look back. The timing was too perfect for some fans, who took to social media in full force, claiming Bubba “gifted” Denny the win.
“Bubba lifted. Clear as day. That was a setup,” one fan posted. Another followed up: “No way he races anyone else like that. He didn’t even try to block.”
The footage shows Wallace running in the top five when he seemingly backed off Hamlin’s bumper, allowing clean air and a clear path for the No. 11 Toyota to break away. While nothing about the move was illegal or blatant, it was enough to trigger flashbacks to past team order controversies that NASCAR fans never forget—or forgive.
What adds fuel to the fire? Hamlin is not only Bubba’s co-owner at 23XI Racing—he’s also one of his closest allies in the garage. So when Wallace went radio silent after the race and offered a verymeasured comment—“Happy for the team. It was a good day”—the internet lit up.
“He’s protecting the boss,” one tweet read. “That wasn’t racing. That was business.”
But not everyone is convinced it was shady. Some fans defended Bubba, saying it was “just smart racing” and a strategic decision to avoid wrecking both cars in a tight battle. “Better a 1-2 finish than two DNFs,” one user noted. “It’s Darlington. Survival is part of the game.”
Hamlin, unfazed as ever, brushed off the speculation in his post-race interview: “We executed. That’s what we came here to do. Nothing more to it.” But when asked directly about Bubba, he smirked and said, “He ran a great race. We’re proud of our whole program.”
Was it team loyalty, race strategy, or something more? That’s up for debate—but fans are already marking their calendars for next week’s race, where things could get very interesting if Bubba’s racing for a win of his own.
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One thing’s for sure—Darlington gave fans a finish they won’t stop talking about. And Bubba Wallace just might have more fire coming his way than rubber left on his tires.
