Back in February at Bowman Gray Stadium, Bubba Wallace rolled into NASCAR’s Clash and got a greeting that said everything without a word. Fans stood just to flip him off, dozens of them. The boos echoed, the fingers flew, and Wallace clapped back the only way he could in that moment – by posting on X: “I’m gonna guess more fingers than teeth on that cat.” It was just another reminder that no matter how many laps he runs, some fans still see him as a target, not a driver.
Fast forward to July 27, 2025, same Bubba in front of a raucous crowd, but this time, Wallace silenced them. The #23 driver conquered the Brickyard 400 in a nail-biting double overtime finish, becoming the first Black driver in history to win a major race on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval. He led 30 laps and held off Kyle Larson by just 0.222 seconds, but more than that, he put to bed every twisted narrative that tried to drag him down. The boos? Still there. But so were the chants. A flipped finger in February turned into a raised fist in victory come July.
Bubba Wallace faces the noise and walks away a Brickyard hero
For most of the final stage, it looked like Bubba Wallace had the Brickyard 400 locked down. With just under 10 laps to go, he held a commanding 4.2-second lead over the field, a cushion in racing terms that usually screams “victory lap in progress.” But then came the caution or rain that bunched the field, wiped out his lead, and sent everyone to the pits. “Here we go again,” Wallace admitted post-race. He feared a rain-shortened anti-climax, or worse, a narrative hijack from critics claiming luck or timing.
In the post-race interview aired on Frontstretch’s YouTube channel, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi told Wallace post-race just how big the lead was, and Wallace blinked. “Was it that much? Damn. If it rains and it ends it, Lord have mercy, Twitter’s going to blow up.” But Wallace didn’t fold. When the field stacked up and the track went green, he held off Kyle Larson, the defending champ and one of the sport’s sharpest closers, in a dogged fight till the end.
Bubba Wallace led the final seven laps, even after losing clean air on the restart and dealing with fuel and tire wear on the razor’s edge. He won the hard way, no gimmicks for haters to latch on to, and haters are something Wallace has dealt with in the sport for years. Wallace admitted he used to struggle with the boos, but now: “I now understand it’s just sports… drivers they like, drivers they hate… we just go out and compete”. That evolution is real; what once rattled him has become background static. He even pointed out a surprising twist: the pre‑race silence at Indy was new, refreshing, saying, “That was different. That was cool.”
Still, Wallace didn’t let the moment pass without a jab at the haters who keep moving the finish line. “Does anybody know where the goal post got moved to now? Anybody? Did it get moved yet? It’s rigged? Oh, of course.” It was part sarcasm, part truth. In a sport where doubters have always looked for excuses to downplay his success, from politics to pit strategy, this was a win without an asterisk. No rain-shortened assist, no lucky caution. Just speed, skill, and sheer will. And after 100 races without a win, Bubba Wallace finally got the one that made the noise stop and made history roar.
Bubba Wallace’s Brickyard win amid tough times with garage support
Wallace’s win isn’t just another highlight for 23XI Racing; it’s a power move. The team is currently locked in a tense standoff with NASCAR over charter agreements and an antitrust lawsuit filed last year by them and Front Row Motorsports. They’re racing as an open entry right now, but Wallace’s Brickyard win brings weight. It’s a high-profile reminder that 23XI isn’t just relevant; they’re essential to NASCAR’s future. And Hamlin’s been loud about it: “We’re not afraid to walk if this isn’t handled fairly.” However, while Bubba’s victory comes at a time when his team is at a crossroads with the sport, his competitors seemed to revel in his success.
Second-place finisher Kyle Larson, who pushed hard to catch Wallace, admitted the race offered few passing opportunities: “There’s nothing you can do here… our team did a good job. Congrats to Bubba. That’s so cool. He’s a good dude.” And from Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing himself and Wallace’s third-place competitor? Pure satisfaction: “Great day for our team … huge team effort … not a lot I could complain with … our car is capable.” And even during the cooldown lap, drivers came up to the #23 and gave him a congratulatory bump!
Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney, and many others rolled up beside the #23 with a wave or a fist bump, showing appreciation for a competitor who never gave up. Bubba Wallace’s win at the Brickyard was a loud, defiant statement. It symbolized the rise of 23XI Racing during a time of political push-and-pull inside the sport. It validated Wallace’s persistence, punctuated by a historic moment on one of racing’s grandest stages. And above all, it proved that the underdog doesn’t just survive, they can own the spotlight.
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