The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas was a hard-fought race with an ending that surprised a lot of NASCAR fans. But Alex Bowman got a very rude surprise from his former teammate Daniel Suarez during the cool-down lap following the NASCAR Cup Series race in Austin.
Now, the Chevrolet driver may be facing a penalty and fine from NASCAR.
Suarez and Bowman in Post-Race Altercation
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
After his family came up from their hometown of Monterrey, Mexico, Suarez — who drives the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing Team — was looking make his parents proud on the road course.
After Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson made contact in the early laps, the Texas crowd was treated to multiple late-race cautions that made this NASCAR race one of the more exciting. The restarts made for some interesting Turn 1 scuffles, one of which left several NASCAR drivers — including Suarez — red hot.
Suarez was shoved into Martin Truex Jr. after Ross Chastain pushed Alex Bowman into Chastain's teammate, Suarez.
During the cool-down lap, Suarez sped up to find Bowman, slamming into the back of his No. 48 car multiple times, before getting into a heated argument on pit road.
"He just thought I drove in and tried to drive through him," Bowman said of his discussion with Suarez after the COTA race. "I had the corner made. Only reason I was inside of (Suarez) was to protect from (Chastain). Then (Chastain) just hammered me in the corner, dumped me, then I ran into (Suarez), kind of cleaned him out.
"Daniel and I, we've been teammates in the past, raced together a long time. I respect the hell out of him. I'm sure he's still not super happy. Just tried to explain that I wouldn't race him like that, that I was shoved in there."
Tyler Reddick would take the checkered flag with Kyle Busch, Bowman, Chastain and William Byron following the No. 45 car. Suarez would finish 27th.
