NASCAR driver suspended after fight with Bubba Wallace

According to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, Almirola was indefinitely suspended by Joe Gibbs Racing after a physical altercation with fellow Toyota driver Bubba Wallace. The fight was apparently the reason why Almirola did not race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte on May 25 as he was originally scheduled to. 

While Almirola and Wallace drive for different organizations, the fight happened during a competition meeting that included members of Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing. Almirola is driving a part-time Xfinity Series schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2024, with his next start scheduled to be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 20. 

According to The Athletic, Almirola was the driver who supposedly started the altercation, which led to him being unable to run the BetMGM 300 at Charlotte. A suspension was then handed down from the team to Almirola. 

Ty Gibbs ran the No. 20 car at Charlotte, finishing ninth in the event. 

According to Bianchi, Almirola's suspension will be lifted soon, opening the door for the 40 year-old driver to return to competition. While this off-track issue certainly mars Almirola's outstanding reputation in the garage area, don't be surprised if he's in contention for the win in his return at Indianapolis. Almirola has put together excellent results in his five starts in 2024, including three top-five finishes and an emotional victory at Martinsville.