The Brickyard 400 has a new place in history.
The historic oval in Indianapolis featured an exciting finish after a rain delay and two overtimes. The race’s leader, whose team held their breath and managed precious fuel rather than lose time with a pit stop, added even more history to the storied track.
Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr., who drives number 23 for the team of Michael Jordan (yes, that Michael Jordan) and Denny Hamlin, became NASCAR’s only full-time black driver in 2018. The Toyota Camry had circled the 2.5 mile track for 3 hours, twenty-two minutes, sixteen seconds, and 316/1000th of a second before the checkered flag waved above the multi-colored souped-up sedan.
The 31 year-old Wallace who was born in Mobile, Alabama, had a love of racing as a young man with an interest and role in racing since age 9 years young when he began racing go-karts. Wallace’s dad, Darrell Wallace, Sr., shared his son’s desire to be the first Black man in the NASCAR Hall of Fame even when he first entered the profession of driving at eighteen.
Born from a multiracial marriage, Bubba’s namesake, Darrel, Sr. is white and his mother, Desiree, is African American, a former University of Tennessee track athlete, and social worker. His older sister gave him his nickname at birth after struggling to pronounce “brother.”
Looking back at a first interview, given the acknowledgment of the groundbreaking role model Wallace could become, in 2012 when he was 18, his response was respectful but reflected his youth. Asked how it felt to carry the torch of African Americans in racing, Bubba replied, “It’s a responsibility. But I kind of try to keep it in the back of my head and not worry about it too much and do what I love.”
Seconds matter. Even thousandths of a second matter! The 0.222-second margin between Bubba Wallace’s Camry to Kyle Larson, the 2024 Brickyard 400 Champion, snapped Wallace’s 110-race winless streak.
“Oh, my gosh, I’m just so proud of this team! That adrenaline rush is crazy, ’cause I’m coming off that right now–and I’m worn out,” declared the emotional 31-year-old who hugged his wife then hoisted up his 10-month-old son, Becks, before the cheering grandstand.
Bubba Wallace, Jr. dared to race, despite being the first of his race, and is running with the winners!