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Bubba Wallace First Black Driver to Win Indy Oval

Bubba Wallace First Black Driver to Win Indy Oval/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Bubba Wallace became the first Black driver to win a major race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s famed oval. His Brickyard 400 victory snapped a long winless streak and locked him into the NASCAR playoffs. The dramatic finish included two overtimes, a rain delay, and a fierce duel with Kyle Larson.

Bubba Wallace First Black Driver to Win Indy Oval

Bubba Wallace Brickyard Win – Quick Looks

  • Bubba Wallace wins 2025 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
  • Becomes first Black driver to win major race on the Indy oval
  • Victory snapped a 100-race winless streak since 2022
  • Outlasted defending champ Kyle Larson in double overtime
  • Handled late-race fuel concerns and weather delays
  • Marks Wallace’s third career NASCAR Cup win
  • Secured a playoff spot with this milestone victory
  • 23XI Racing earns boost amid ongoing legal dispute with NASCAR
  • Race featured tire issues, crashes, and strategic calls
  • Ty Gibbs wins $1 million In-Season Challenge
Bubba Wallace First Black Driver to Win Indy Oval

Bubba Wallace First Black Driver to Win Indy Oval

Deep Look

INDIANAPOLIS — Bubba Wallace made NASCAR history Sunday, becoming the first Black driver to claim victory on the iconic 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Winning the prestigious Brickyard 400, Wallace ended a 100-race winless streak and etched his name into the record books with a performance that mixed grit, resilience, and cool under pressure.

The 31-year-old driver of the No. 23 Toyota, racing for 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and fellow driver Denny Hamlin, withstood everything the day threw at him — rain, overtime restarts, and a hard-charging Kyle Larson — to claim his third NASCAR Cup Series victory and his first in one of the sport’s four crown jewel races.

A Historic Victory in Dramatic Fashion

Wallace’s final margin of victory was a razor-thin 0.222 seconds over Larson, the defending Brickyard champion. But the path to that finish line was anything but smooth.

Rain loomed large late in the race, causing a red flag with just four laps to go. Teams huddled over strategy calls. Fans waited anxiously. Wallace stayed calm.

“The whole time I’m thinking are we going? Are we not?” he said. “But I knew I had to stay ready.”

When the green flag dropped for overtime, Wallace beat Larson out of Turn 2 — only for another crash to bring out a caution and force a second overtime.

Fuel became a question. Should Wallace pit or risk running dry?

He chose to fight.

“I want to win this straight up,” Wallace declared. “I want to go back racing.”

He did — and he beat Larson again to seal the landmark win.

Snapping the Streak and Securing the Future

The triumph marked Wallace’s first win since Kansas in 2022 and locked him into the 2025 NASCAR playoffs. His only other Cup Series victory came in 2021 at Talladega, making this victory both a personal and professional turning point.

“Those last 20 laps there were ups and downs,” Wallace admitted. “But to beat the best — and Kyle’s the best — you’ve got to be the best. Today, we were.”

Wallace’s victory added momentum to 23XI Racing, which is currently locked in a legal battle with NASCAR over its charter status. The win also came a day after Wallace was narrowly beaten to the pole position by Chase Briscoe.

On Sunday, there was no denying him.

Other Highlights from Indianapolis

  • Ty Gibbs Wins In-Season Challenge: Gibbs took the $1 million prize in NASCAR’s March Madness-style tournament despite finishing 21st overall. He defeated Ty Dillon, who came in 28th. Gibbs celebrated by tossing money into the crowd, calling it “a cool opportunity.”
  • Tire Troubles Shake Up Leaders: Former champions Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, and Erik Jones all suffered tire failures that ended their chances. Jones’ crash into the Turn 4 wall was the most severe, caused by a lost right-front tire.
  • Early Exits: Ross Chastain was the first driver out after a spin sent him into the Turn 3 wall. Austin Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Cody Ware also exited early due to crashes or mechanical issues.
  • Weather Impacts the Race: Concerned about rain, NASCAR moved the start time up by 10 minutes. Ultimately, a mid-race delay lasted 18 minutes. Teams had to adjust strategy based on changing track conditions.
  • Cookie Monster Grand Marshal: Beloved Sesame Street character Cookie Monster served as grand marshal, offering drivers whimsical pre-race advice like: “Don’t stop and ask for directions.”

Looking Ahead

Next up, NASCAR’s Cup Series continues its Midwest stretch with a stop in Iowa. Wallace will now look to build on his historic momentum as he enters the playoffs with renewed confidence and a place in racing history.

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