INDIANAPOLIS — Bubba Wallace was filled with doubt during the last 20 laps of the Brickyard 400, haunted by the mental demons of low confidence and a 100-race winless drought.
“I kept telling myself ‘I’m not going to be able to do it,’” he said.
As it turned out, Wallace was wrong.
Wallace drove to a surprising victory in one of NASCAR’s “majors” on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, putting himself and his Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing team into victory lane — and back into NASCAR’s playoffs.
It was the first win for Wallace since 2022, a stretch that eroded his self-belief and had left him searching for a mental reset.
He found it this year through being a first-time father, getting a new crew chief — nine-year U.S. Army veteran Charles Denike — and reading Ryan Holliday’s “The Daily Stoic.”
BUBBA WALLACE IS A WINNER AT THE BRICKYARD! pic.twitter.com/5ITVgH9m8f
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 27, 2025
So while Wallace was fighting the other competitors for the win on Sunday, he was also fighting himself — except this time, he won on both accounts.
“We’re all human and we’re all super hard on ourselves,” Wallace said. “You guys know how hard I (can be) on myself. … It’s still working out those kinks and growing as a person.”
However, Wallace said he wasn’t at all thinking negatively on two crucial overtime restarts — where he twice outdueled NASCAR’s best driver, Kyle Larson. There was no questioning how Wallace had to earn this one.
Wallace got out of the car, stood on the roof, flexed his muscles and then made a hush sign at the crowd — who booed him during the pre-race driver introductions.
An emotional Wallace then greeted his infant son, Becks, and held him up to the crowd like Simba in “The Lion King.”
Bubba Wallace celebrates winning the Brickyard 400. pic.twitter.com/Nh0nMhRpJw
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) July 27, 2025
“To win here at the Brickyard, knowing how big this race is, knowing all the noise that’s going on in the background — to set that all aside is a testament to these people here on this No. 23 team,” Wallace said.
The “noise” refers to 23XI Racing’s federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, which resulted in the team losing its chartered status two weeks ago after its appeals were exhausted and a temporary restraining order was denied.
However, even running as an “Open” car, Wallace won in NASCAR’s regular season for the first time in his career. His previous NASCAR Cup Series wins, at Talladega and Kansas, came during the playoffs while he was competing as a non-playoff driver.
Now he’s into the 16-driver postseason with four races remaining and doesn’t have to worry about the points bubble.
“It’s been getting old running on the cutline,” Wallace said.
To win his first NASCAR major — the others are the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500 — Wallace had to survive two overtime restarts against NASCAR champion Larson.
Earlier, Wallace was cruising en route to a 4.5-second victory, but a caution suddenly flew for light rain with six laps remaining, erasing his lead.
“It’s fine, it’s fine!” he protested, obviously upset to see a yellow flag. Still, indeed, there was enough rain for NASCAR to dry the track.
Bubba Wallace kisses the bricks after winning his first #NASCAR major. #Brickyard400 pic.twitter.com/Yolx7Knl5u
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 27, 2025
When the race restarted in the first attempt at overtime, Wallace and Larson raced side-by-side through Turns 1 and 2, and Wallace ended up clearing for the lead. But just when Wallace was a half-lap from the white flag, a crash in the middle of the field with Zane Smith and Tyler Reddick brought out another caution flag and triggered a second overtime.
With all of the leaders close on fuel, Wallace, Larson and others decided to stay out and gamble again. This time, Wallace got an even better restart, cleared Larson and sailed to the biggest victory of his life.
“To overcome so much and put these people here in victory lane, that’s what it’s about,” Wallace said. “It’s about these people who continue to push me and believe in me.”
Wallace had a good car from the start. He qualified second on Saturday, barely missing the pole position, then finished second in Stage 1 and 10th in Stage 2. He was able to cycle to the race lead after the final set of pit stops, with an assist from a blown Joey Logano tire after it looked like Logano was in control of the race.
On the cooldown lap, many of the drivers raced up alongside Wallace and stuck a thumbs up or waved out the window to congratulate him, with some giving a celebratory door rub. Wallace may not be beloved by some NASCAR fans, but he is popular inside the garage.
“Wish it could have been one spot better, but congrats to Bubba,” Larson said. “That’s so cool. This is a big race, and he’s a good dude.”
“If we couldn’t do it, obviously, he was the one guy I wish could do it. And it’s awesome he did,” said Wallace’s best friend Ryan Blaney, who finished seventh. “It’s cool he was able to finish it, especially at such a big place like this. It’s been a tough year for him and for him to step up today and get it done, that’s got to feel pretty f—ing good.”
Now, as 23XI continues to battle NASCAR in the courts, it is poised to have two of its drivers in the playoffs. Reddick is currently the top driver in the standings who has not already qualified, and should make the field unless there are three new winners in the next four races.
(Photo: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)
