January 1, MELTDOWN: Female NASCAR Driver Rage-Quits Mid-Race After Bubba Wallace Loses Control

Wyatt’s Take

• NASCAR’s All-Star weekend at Dover was a complete disaster — drivers hated it, fans were confused, and the race felt more like a practice session than a premier event
• Bubba Wallace admits he was ‘seeing red’ and drove recklessly after getting wrecked, endangering other drivers while throwing a tantrum on the track
• Female driver Natalie Decker threw an embarrassing F-bomb-laced tantrum over the radio and quit mid-race after being black-flagged for driving too slow — again

If NASCAR has an All-Star race, but nobody knows it’s an All-Star race, and it doesn’t feel like an All-Star race, did it even happen?

The Dover weekend can be filed under the ‘miss’ category. NASCAR tried to get cute with the format, and they failed spectacularly.

You don’t even have to take my word for it — ask the drivers. They’ll be the first to tell you this ‘All-Star’ weekend just didn’t work.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t have plenty to talk about today. We’ve got Bubba Wallace ‘seeing red’ after being wrecked, admitting he drove dangerously for the final 10 laps.

We’ve got Kyle Busch making a sex joke after winning Friday. And we’ve got Natalie Decker throwing an all-time tantrum and quitting in the middle of a race.

This Natalie Decker situation is absolutely nuts. Some folks sent angry emails defending her behavior, which tells you everything you need to know about where society is headed.

NASCAR’s All-Star Disaster

Did NASCAR do anything right this weekend? I’m serious.

I’m all for trying new things, but this year was just miss after miss after miss. Nothing worked.

For starters, they eliminated ‘The Open,’ which for years has been the best part of All-Star weekend. That was the qualifying race to see which drivers not eligible for the main event could race their way in.

It was easily the best part of the weekend. And NASCAR axed it this year.

Dumb.

They also made the actual race a billion laps long. I lost count at one point.

When I turned this race on and saw it was 300-ish laps, I was floored. This is supposed to be a fun, quick, non-taxing exhibition race.

They turned it into one long practice for next week’s Coke 600. And I mean that literally — they had a 90-minute practice session Saturday.

Ninety minutes! And it meant NOTHING.

Could you imagine watching a 300-lap race where the points don’t matter? Where the winner gets nothing beyond a measly $1 million check?

Just listen to Chase Briscoe and Chase Elliott after this weekend’s marathon. Does this sound like two drivers who enjoyed themselves?

“It was tough. It was long. It felt like a points race, not an All-Star race,” one of them said.

Yeah, they were miserable. Come on.

What are we doing here? This race used to be an event.

You had The Open in the early evening, then the main race at night. Yesterday, we had no real open, then put the main race at 1 p.m. ET against the PGA Championship.

I’m just not sure Dover is the right track for a race that doesn’t matter. Feel like it’s a bit of disservice to the fans, right?

There’s speculation that Dover could be in trouble entirely moving forward. That would be a mistake.

The fans came out yesterday for a race that didn’t matter and was inexplicably long. The racing itself was decent.

Denny Hamlin won and there were a bunch of pile-ups in the opening segments. I’ve seen worse.

I just don’t need to see it as an ‘All-Star’ race. It wasn’t awful — it just wasn’t what you’d expect from an All-Star weekend.

It was weird from the minute they unloaded the trucks, and it never got any better.

Bubba Wallace ‘Seeing Red’

Let me get this straight: Bubba got wrecked by someone, then decided to ‘race the dogs–t’ out of the rest of the field for the final 10 laps because he was ‘seeing red’?

Do I have that right?

Sounds like a plan! Had Bubba wrecked someone whilst ‘racing the dogsh—‘ out of them, this would be a bigger story.

But he didn’t. He just doored anyone who tried to get in his way.

A little childish? Perhaps.

Natalie Decker’s Epic Meltdown

Decker parked her truck during Friday’s race at Dover after just 81 laps after NASCAR black-flagged her for being too slow. This was, by my count, the second time this year she’s been black-flagged for being too slow.

Impressive.

But that’s not the story here. Decker essentially rage-quit during the race, suffering one of the most stunning in-car meltdowns I have ever heard and swearing off the series forever.

FOREVER:

“Let’s remember what’s on our truck, and just bring it to the garage, right?” said team owner Josh Reaume, referring clearly to the sponsors.

“I feel like a f—ing failure if I do that. There’s so many things I want to say and I’m probably going to get f—ing suspended, you have no idea,” Natalie responded.

I’ve never heard a radio meltdown like that in my life, and I’ve heard A LOT of them. Nothing compares to that tantrum.

It’s embarrassing. It’s an awful look for Natalie Decker, and an even worse look for NASCAR.

If I’m them, I don’t let her back in a car until further notice. That’s how bad a look it was for the sport.

That’s how seriously I’d take this.

Apparently, when I said that Saturday, I was too mean. From Ryan M, who is very clearly new:

“Wow Zach your a terrible person! Natalie is a human being and has emotions and personal things going on like everyone else. You’ve had melt down moments in your life I already know cause everybody has. I don’t even follow you, Natalie, or NASCAR. But I know you were given grace and forgiveness in worst moments. Maybe try doing the same. Cause right now your a piece of s–t for real.”

Thanks, Ryan M! And welcome.

Sure, I’ve 100% had meltdowns like that in my life. Ryan is right.

He got me. I’d love to go into further detail, but I was 5 at the time, so I don’t remember much.

Get outta here!

At least Kyle Busch won on Friday and then made a 69 joke about his wife. At least we have that.

Wyatt Matters

This is what happens when professionalism takes a back seat to feelings. You’re at work — act like it. Decker embarrassed herself, her team, her sponsors, and the sport. Wallace admitted to driving recklessly because his emotions got the better of him. These are supposed to be professionals at the highest level of motorsports. Hard-working Americans watching from home don’t get to throw tantrums and quit when things get tough at their jobs. Why should millionaire athletes? Standards matter, and NASCAR needs to remember that before they lose what’s left of their credibility.