Last Sunday was Stage 2 of South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For NASCAR fans, this is the fourth race in the Cup series playoff. Bubba Wallace, the race driver now best known for his hate crime hoax (calling a garage pull a noose), had already won the first stage of this race and was eyeing a second victory.

Much to Wallace’s chagrin, another driver, Kyle Larson, was attempting to make a three-wide pass and tapped Wallace’s car, causing it to careen off the wall. Wallace’s retaliation was swift and definitive. Wallace caught up to Larson’s vehicle and seemingly intentionally rammed him the way a cop would to take out a fleeing suspect, causing them both to spin out and crash.

Kyle Larson hits Bubba Wallace.

Wallace spins him out, and #NASCARPlayoffs driver Christopher Bell is involved! pic.twitter.com/TlxcEV5T6q

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 16, 2022

In the aftermath, when both drivers got out of their vehicles, Wallace went up to Larson, shoving him and yelling at him. It needs to be pointed out that Wallace is head and shoulders taller than Larson. He has the physical advantage in a fight. Wallace was clearly angry.

Bubba Wallace is NOT HAPPY with Kyle Larson.

Some pushes and shoves after they wreck. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/aaAn0idrJp

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 16, 2022

Later, when Wallace was interviewed about the incident, he claimed that his actions weren’t retaliation. He claimed that these cars break easily, “so when you get shoved into the fence, like deliberately like he did, trying to force me to lift, [the] steering was gone.” As for taking out Larson, “He just so happened to be there.” In other words, Wallace blames the ramming on faulty steering. This incident knocked a completely innocent party, driver Christopher Bell, out of the first race in the round of eight.

Unfortunately for Wallace, the NBC telemetry seems to debunk his claim. (What!? Bubba Wallace making a false claim? Shocker.) The image shows that Wallace had his foot on the gas — an atypical move if your steering has gone out.

Fans are calling for Wallace to be suspended for his shameful unsportsmanlike behavior. The criticism has been resounding. Even The Root — which is a self-described “black news and black views with a whole lotta attitude” magazine — called out Wallace for his actions: “With these cars going between 180 to 200 miles per hour, you d**n well know running into the back of another racer at that speed is dangerous and unprofessional. You’re a better driver than that. And for you to not care about involving someone who’s racing for a spot in the championship finals [a.k.a Christopher Bell] is a**hole behavior.” Others have called for McDonald’s to drop its sponsorship of Wallace.

Wallace initially refused to apologize for his actions. But after 36 hours of sustained pressure and criticism, he did issue a public apology:

I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday following the on-track incident with Kyle Larson and the No. 5 car. My behavior does not align with the core values that are shared by 23XI Racing and our partners, who have played a crucial role in my incredible journey to the top of this great sport. I want to apologize to NASCAR and the fans, along with Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Toyota for putting them in a situation in the Playoffs that they do not deserve. I compete with immense passion, and with passion at times comes frustration. Upon reflecting, I should have represented our partners and core team values better than I did by letting my frustrations follow me outside of the car. You live and learn, and I intend to learn from this.

Notice he did not apologize to Kyle Larson for ramming him at high speeds, which, as many have argued, is tantamount to attempted murder.

NASCAR disclosed late yesterday what actions it will take to discipline Wallace: He will be suspended from the next race. This punishment seems like the bare minimum.

Wallace’s actions are now forming a pattern. His initial refusal to take responsibility is of a piece with his past behavior: It’s someone else’s fault; he’s the victim.