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Published

3 years ago

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12:22 PM ET

  • Associated Press

Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell shared a flight home from Las Vegas, and Wallace apologized during the trip to his fellow Toyota teammate for the incident that damaged Bell’s championship chances.

Bell said Wallace also apologized to the entire Toyota group in the Monday competition meeting. Wallace has been suspended one race by NASCAR for a dangerous act of retaliation that inadvertently collected Bell.

“We actually flew home together on Sunday night and he did apologize Sunday, and then he addressed our entire group on Monday and the competition meeting,” Bell said Wednesday. “He just apologized for what went down and the fact that we got taken out is unfortunate circumstances.”

Wallace has been suspended for Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for deliberately retaliating against reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson at Las Vegas. Wallace hooked Larson in the rear corner of his car to spin him directly into traffic, where Larson drilled Bell and ended Bell’s race.

Bell drives for Joe Gibbs Racing and Wallace drives for 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by JGR driver Denny Hamlin. The two teams have an alliance, and Toyota demands its teams work together.

Bell and Hamlin are the only two Toyota drivers still eligible to qualify for next month’s winner-take-all championship finale, and Bell is now ranked last in the eight-driver field.

There are four slots in the championship finale and Joey Logano claimed the first spot for Team Penske and Ford with his win Sunday at Las Vegas. But the entire opening race of the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs has been overshadowed by Wallace, who lost his cool when he and Larson were racing for position and neither would give an inch of room.

Larson ended up running Wallace into the wall, and Wallace immediately retaliated by chasing Larson down the track and hooking him back into traffic. By hitting the passing car of Bell, Larson’s trajectory was stopped before he slammed directly into the wall.

Wallace then had a shoving match with Larson after the crash and also pushed away a NASCAR official. The suspension handed down Tuesday falls under NASCAR’s behavioral policy and technically covers most of Wallace’s actions at Las Vegas.

But Steve O’Donnell, the executive in charge of competition and racing operations, said the penalties were for Wallace’s dangerous and deliberate retaliation against Larson, not the fracas a few moments later. O’Donnell said Wallace’s hooking of Larson was “really a dangerous act that we thought was intentional and put other competitors at risk.”

Kevin Harvick, one of the most outspoken drivers on safety issues of late, condemned Wallace’s retaliation.

“Intentionally hooking people in the [right rear] should never be acceptable,” Harvick posted on social media. “Protect us from ourselves. I hope this is the beginning of the end of it happening.”

Wallace is the first driver suspended for on-track actions since Matt Kenseth was suspended two races in 2015 for returning his wrecked car to the track to deliberately crash Logano at Martinsville.

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2 hours ago

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October 7, 2025

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Phillies’ 2025 ballpark bite to beat: the ‘Fall Classic Shake’

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3 hours ago

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October 6, 2025

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Phillies' 2025 ballpark bite to beat: the 'Fall Classic Shake'

Move aside, hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jack. Baseball teams are becoming more innovative and stepping up their food game in 2025.

One of those creations is the Philadelphia Phillies‘ limited-edition “Fall Classic Shake,” which includes a vanilla soft serve, blended with dulce de leche. If that wasn’t enough, an apple cider donut tops it off. Philadelphia has been on a heater in the kitchen recently — it also unveiled a postseason 9-9-9 challenge box last Friday.

Here are more ballpark innovations that can be found at MLB concession stands this season:

Houston Astros: Fried chicken waffle sandwich

Washington Nationals: Jake and Jake’s Smoked Brisket Sandwich

In collaboration with Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, the Royals will offer a new item this season: the Z-Man Sandwich. It includes slow-smoked beef brisket and provolone cheese on a toasted kaiser roll, topped with two onion rings.

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Breslow: Sox to take holistic approach to offseason

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3 hours ago

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October 6, 2025

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Breslow: Sox to take holistic approach to offseason

  • ESPN News Services

Oct 6, 2025, 06:07 PM ET

BOSTON — Craig Breslow isn’t sure how he and the rest of the Boston Red Sox‘s front office will approach the offseason coming off their first appearance in the postseason since 2021.

But Boston’s chief baseball officer feels a lot better about the roster pieces he will be moving around this offseason as they look to continue this year’s momentum.

“We’ve talked a lot about how this window of contention is upon us,” Breslow said Monday during the front office’s season-ending news conference.

He said that ensuring the Red Sox stay in a position to compete will feature a holistic approach. He’s focused on fortifying their pitching staff and continuing to develop the young position players that made big impacts this season.

Those younger contributors will become even more relevant as Boston attempts to hold onto right-handed starter Lucas Giolito this offseason. Giolito was 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts this season. He was left off the postseason roster after experiencing some late-season discomfort in his elbow.

The 31-year-old and the team have a mutual option to work out this offseason.

He joins veteran third baseman Alex Bregman and shortstop Trevor Story, who both have player options to ponder.

Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal in February that included the chance to become a free agent following both the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Story signed a six-year, $140 million deal in March 2022 that included a player option following this season. If Story exercises his player option, the Red Sox will have the right to exercise the club option then and make the deal worth $160 million over seven seasons.

Breslow declined to say whether discussions are already ongoing with Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras.

“Obviously, Alex has the right as structured in his contract to opt out, and he’s going to do what’s best for his family,” Breslow said. “At the same time, I will not miss an opportunity to talk about his contributions on the field, in the clubhouse, to the coaching staff, to the front office. Every conversation we’ve had I think I’ve learned something about how his impact and influence have rubbed off on his teammates.”

What was also prevalent during this resurgence was the contributions of Boston’s young up-and-comers, including rookie outfielder Roman Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer, who both had their seasons cut short by injuries.

But manager Alex Cora said there is just as much optimism about what’s ahead for young pitchers like Connelly Early, who got a taste of meaningful postseason baseball.

“I think we took the steps in the right direction,” Cora said. “Last offseason, during the season, not only as far as what the front office did, but what we did on the field. It was a much better team than the last few years. But that thing that excites me going into the offseason is the pitching. … What we have in player development is real.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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