Bubba Wallace made motorsports history Sunday afternoon. The 31-year-old driver became the first Black driver to win a major race on the legendary 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, crossing the finish line first in a heart-pounding edition of the Brickyard 400 that had everything: rain delays, fuel concerns, and two white-knuckle overtimes.
Wallace, behind the wheel of the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing, fended off defending champ Kyle Larson in back-to-back restarts and held on to win by just 0.222 seconds. As he climbed out of his car, it was clear this win wasn’t just another checkered flag; it was a moment that would be etched into racing history.
“This one’s really cool,” Wallace told reporters, still riding high from the emotional win. “Coming off Turn 4, I knew I was going to get there — unless we ran out of gas. I was surprised I wasn’t crying like a little baby.”
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bubba Wallace becomes the first Black driver to win on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's oval, taking the Brickyard 400.
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 27, 2025
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Wallace’s victory marks his third career NASCAR Cup Series win, but this one carries a special weight. Not only did it snap a 100-race drought dating back to his 2022 win at Kansas, but it also secured his spot in the playoffs and gave him his first win at one of NASCAR’s four crown jewel events, joining the likes of the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500.
And it came at the track, the one where legends are made. No Black driver has ever won the Indianapolis 500, and while Formula 1 runs its Grand Prix on the road course, Wallace’s win stands alone on the famed oval.
It was a full-circle moment for the Alabama native, whose rise in the sport hasn’t come without challenges. Through every doubter and every tough finish, Wallace has stayed focused, and now, he’s a Brickyard winner, joining an elite group of racers and blazing a new trail while doing it.
Fans, drivers, and fellow athletes took to social media to celebrate the win. Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, posted, “So proud of @BubbaWallace. This was earned. This was historic.”
Bubba didn’t just take the checkered flag. He took his place in history.
Photo Credit: DepositPhotos.com
