Did Bubba Wallace Throw A Punch, Take One, Or Both? Debate Rages Over NASCAR Suspension

Well, it happened. The perfect storm of juicy NASCAR gossip. It's JUST what we needed on an otherwise slow Thursday in June. 

Thank you, Racin' Gods!

OutKick fan favorite Bubba Wallace, and a driver that you vaguely remember but probably haven't thought about in years – Aric Almirola – are currently making the newsy rounds for a reported "physical altercation" that took place recently that apparently got Almirola a one-way ticket to suspension-ville (what a dumb thing to say but whatever).  

This, according to various sources on the World Wide Web:

NASCAR fans divided over Bubba Wallace story 

From The Athletic:

A physical altercation between Aric Almirola and Bubba Wallace is the reason why Joe Gibbs Racing removed Almirola as driver of its No. 20 car for the May 25 Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, then subsequently indefinitely suspended him, multiple industry sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic.

The altercation occurred early in the week leading into the Charlotte race during a weekly competition meeting that includes both the drivers of JGR and 23XI Racing — Toyota supports both teams, and they have a close technical alliance.

The exact reason for the dispute is unknown, but those sources said the team viewed Almirola as the instigator. 

Yes! This is the way, baby! Oh, it's a slow final Thursday of June? Fine! How about I serve you Bubba Wallace and Aric Almirola (allegedly) throwing fists during a competition meeting at Joe Gibbs HQ? Sound like a plan? Good! 

Look, I haven't said anything because, until now, it's all sort of just been conjecture on Twitter. Fans noticed a while back that Almirola had mysteriously disappeared from the JGR entry list on May 22, and the NASCAR rumor mill lit up like a Christmas tree. 

Somehow, everything pointed back to some mysterious altercation between Bubba Wallace and Almirola, which may sound odd but, if you remember, these two do have history. 

And it ain't the lovey-dovey kind:

Does that sound like two bros ready to move on? Don't think so. Evidently, they never did, because this reported fight took place nearly one year later. What an anniversary. 

Anyway, this seems like a team suspension, not a NASCAR one, so I wouldn't expect anything to come from NASCAR officials moving forward. "We'll handle it internally," as they say. 

Doesn't mean social media can't have a field day with it, though. It's the modern day version of "Han shot first." Who threw the first punch? Did both fellas land at least one good blow? Who started it? Who ended it? 

We don't know as of today. We may never will. Lord knows I'll try like hell to find out. 

Until then, all we have is some solid NASCAR controversy in June. And I'll take that any day of the week!