Bubba Wallace Claims Historic Brickyard 400 Win
Bubba Wallace powered through rain delays, overtime restarts, and fuel concerns to make history Sunday, becoming the first Black driver to win a major race on the iconic 2.5-mile oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Climbing out of the No. 23 Toyota, Wallace pumped his fists in the air, found his family, and soaked in the long-awaited moment.
“Coming off Turn 4, I knew I was going to get there — unless we ran out of gas,” Wallace said. “I was surprised I wasn’t crying like a little baby.”
Wallace’s Brickyard 400 win marks his third career NASCAR Cup Series victory, but more importantly, it’s his first in one of the series’ four crown jewel events—alongside the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500. It also breaks a 100-race winless streak dating back to 2022 and secures him a spot in the NASCAR playoffs.
Fuel Worries, Larson Pressure, and Double Overtime Drama
The win wasn’t without stress. Wallace held off defending Brickyard champ Kyle Larson on two intense overtime restarts. Rain brought out the yellow flag with just six laps to go, forcing drivers to the pit lane for nearly 20 minutes and raising fears Wallace wouldn’t have enough fuel to finish.
“The whole time I’m thinking: are we going or not?” Wallace said. “Be ready. Don’t get complacent.”
On both restarts, Wallace beat Larson through Turn 2. The final restart came after a crash forced a second overtime and pushed his crew to gamble on fuel calculations. But Wallace stayed out—and stayed in the lead.
“The first thing that went through my mind was, ‘Here we go again,’” Wallace said. “But then I said, ‘I want to win this straight up.’”
He did just that, holding off Larson by 0.222 seconds.
23XI Racing Scores Big Amid NASCAR Legal Fight
The Brickyard 400 win was a major boost for 23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball icon Michael Jordan and fellow NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. The team is currently locked in a legal battle with NASCAR over its charter status.
Wallace’s win also came one day after losing the pole position to Chase Briscoe in the final minutes of qualifying.
“Those last 20 laps there were ups and downs,” Wallace said. “Once I’d seen it was Larson, I knew we had to be our best to beat the best.”
Ty Gibbs Takes In-Season Challenge Million
While Wallace took the Brickyard, Ty Gibbs claimed the inaugural In-Season Challenge—NASCAR’s single-elimination mini tournament—winning a $1 million prize despite finishing 21st.
“They brought me money guns and they jammed,” Gibbs said. “So I started throwing it to the fans.”
Tire Trouble and Rain Shuffle the Field
Several top contenders lost control of the race due to tire issues. Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, and Erik Jones all exited early, with Jones crashing into the wall on Lap 91. Ross Chastain was the first to exit after 18 laps due to contact with Michael McDowell.
Weather was a factor throughout the day. Officials moved the start time up by 10 minutes, but a 15-minute window might’ve avoided the rain altogether. Instead, the rain hit with four laps left in regulation, triggering the overtime chaos.
Cookie Monster Grand Marshals the Brickyard
Bringing a lighter touch to the day, Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster served as the Brickyard 400 grand marshal, giving the drivers some pre-race advice.
“Don’t stop and ask for directions,” the blue-furred icon quipped.
Next Stop: Iowa
The NASCAR Cup Series continues next Sunday with a trip to Iowa, keeping the Midwestern momentum rolling after a dramatic Indianapolis showdown.
