He is rewriting what is possible on motor racing’s biggest stage!
At Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bubba Wallace guided the No. 23 Toyota for 23XI Racing across the famed Yard of Bricks to capture the Brickyard 400, making history as the first Black driver ever to win on the legendary 2.5-mile oval.
The milestone victory came on July 27 after a late rain delay and two overtime restarts, with Wallace holding off Kyle Larson by just 0.222 seconds to earn his third NASCAR Cup win and first crown-jewel triumph, CBS News reports.
The win also ended a drought dating back to his last victory at Kansas in 2022, adding to earlier wins at Talladega in 2021 and Kansas in 2022. Moments after taking the checkered flag, Wallace radioed “Unbelievable,” then lifted his infant son Beckett in celebration on the front stretch.
Wallace’s breakthrough widens the lane paved by pioneers such as Wendell Scott, NASCAR’s first Black premier-series winner in 1963, and Willy T. Ribbs, the first Black driver to qualify for the Indy 500. Racing for 23XI—the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin—he carries their legacy while charting a path of his own.
Since joining 23XI in 2021, Wallace has paired speed with purpose, using his platform to champion STEM education, racial justice, and mental-health awareness. Sunday’s win locks him into the 2025 playoffs and amplifies his mission to make motorsport more inclusive.
Cover photo: Bubba Wallace Becomes First Black Driver to Win the Brickyard 400 ending a 100-Race Drought / Photo Credit: Associated Press