Bubba Wallace wins YellaWood 500 for his first NASCAR Series Cup victory
Bubba Wallace, a Mobile native, celebrates his win in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Talladega Superspeedway)
Bubba Wallace said he had a feeling he would win his first NASCAR Series Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.
“This is where the first win’s going to happen,” he said to media following the YellaWood 500. “When? You don’t know.”
But there was something about the week, the Mobile native said, that got him thinking this might be the time.
“I thought it was going to happen throughout the race,” he said. “We were in the back and everything sort of worked out.”
Now Wendell Scott has company. Wallace won the rain-shorted YellaWood 500 on Monday, making him the second African American driver to win in the NASCAR Cup Series – and the first to win at Talladega – by picking up his first career win and the first-ever win for his new organization. 23XI Racing was created by NBA great Michael Jordan and NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin.
Rain postponed the start of the race from Sunday and weather would affect the outcome. Pushing to win the second stage, Wallace was in the lead in his No. 23 Toyota when Ryan Preece turned into the outside wall off the bumper of Chris Buescher’s Ford to cause the fifth caution of the event.
Rain started immediately after the caution was called to begin the buzz that Wallace could be the winner. The Mobile native said he was willing to get back behind the wheel had NASCAR officials decided to restart the event.
Cars had been circling the track under the yellow caution when rain drenched the 2.66-mile race track. NASCAR brought the cars to pit road on Lap 118 of the scheduled 188.
“There were so many cool fans behind the pit box cheering for it to rain,” Wallace said. “That kind of amped up the intensity a little bit.”
Another shower halted efforts to dry the track and NASCAR called the race and declared Wallace the winner.
“I’m so proud of 23XI, a new team coming in and getting a win late in the season,” Wallace said. “It reminds me of 2013. We waited so long to get that first Truck (Series) win.”
Bubba Wallace, fans celebrate a special victory in YellaWood 500 at Talladega from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
Wallace is the first Black driver to win a race in NASCAR’s premier series since Scott took the checkered flag at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 1, 1963.
“I know a lot of history was made today, which is really cool,” he said. “But it’s about my guys. It’s about our team. It’s about what we’ve done.”
Brad Keselowski was the runner-up in his No. 2 Ford, Joey Logano third in his No. 22 Ford and Kurt Busch fourth in his No. 1 Chevrolet. Christopher Bell rounded out the top five in his No. 20 Toyota.
“I know I’ve got a lot of accolades to do to live up to his hype,” Wallace said, referring to Jordan’s basketball prowess. “But it starts here. We got the first one out of the way.”
Jordan congratulated Wallace for his victory via the 23XI Racing Twitter account.
“From the day we signed him, I knew Bubba had the talent to win,” Jordan tweeted. “I could not be more proud of him. Let’s go!”
A few words from MJ on our first Cup Series win in team history. pic.twitter.com/J35urIAXEY
&mdash [t.co]; 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) October [twitter.com] 5, 2021
Wallace said it’s great that his first NASCAR Cup Series victory came at Talladega “with the last year and change with everything that’s gone on here.”
On June 21, 2020, a member of Wallace’s team reported to NASCAR that a noose had been placed in Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR condemned the act as “heinous” and said they would consult with law enforcement.
An FBI investigation determined that the incident was not a hate crime but a garage pull rope.
Monday, Wallace became emotional as he talked about following Scott into history. He said he has focused less on race and more about racing as he has applied his craft.
“I never think about those things,” he said. “When you say it like that, it obviously brings a lot of emotion, a lot of joy to my family, fans, friends. It’s pretty damn cool. I’m just proud to be a winner in the Cup Series.”
Born William Darrell Wallace Jr., Bubba Wallace said his victory is significant for “all those kids out there that want to have an opportunity in whatever they want to achieve and be the best at what they want to do. You’re gonna go through a lot of (expletive) but you’ve always got to stick true to your path and not let the nonsense get to you. Stay strong. Stay humble. Stay hungry.”
Birmingham-Southern College professor Robert Corna was taking in the race in Big Bill’s at the Talladega Garage Experience when the race was stopped under caution. He immediately celebrated that one of his favorite drivers had apparently won for the first time.
“It’s just a good time,” Corna said of the backstage vantage. “Luckily, I don’t have to work today on a Monday so I can just enjoy this amazing atmosphere. I’ve got my front-row seat. What could be better than this, right?”
Several others opted to forgo the grandstand in favor of following the action from the Garage Experience. Joseph Marino of Toms River, New Jersey, had his feet up as he watched the race on a giant screen and wore headphones to get details.
“For all the tracks that I’ve been to, the garage experience here’s probably one of the best,” he said. “Daytona is really good, too, but here … I remember I was here for the opening weekend, and it was absolutely fabulous. They had everything right.
“I actually spend the entire race here. I don’t even use my grandstand seat because this is the place to be,” Marino said. “You can’t get a screen like that at home.”
Before Monday’s rain, Meri Lee of Temple, Georgia, was on the playground with her son 18-month-old Hunter and his 9-year-old sister, Amelia Ward. Meanwhile Lee’s husband, Brandon Ward, had their youngest son, 5-month-old Harrison.
“I brought Hunter out to play a little,” she said. “We’re just going to get some sun and have some fun.”
The Talladega Garage Experience gave some fans a chance to collect some special souvenirs. Mylon Shedd of Toccoa, Georgia, got an autographed tire that was replaced during the race and 18-year-old Ethan Williamon of Oxford got an autographed side panel from a wrecked racer.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been in this place and I’m gonna come back many, many times,” the recent high school grad said. “The access you have to the garage and how close you can get to the drivers. I got to meet (team owner) Richard Childress (Sunday), a lot of the drivers. They were really friendly.”
