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TALLADEGA, Alabama – Bubba Wallace became just the second black driver to win at the top level of the NASCAR Cup Series when rain stopped Monday’s playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Wallace had driven through a crash and ahead of the field five laps before the second rain stop of the race. NASCAR tried to dry the track for almost 45 minutes, but canceled as the sun approached and the rain showed no signs of stopping.
Wallace was waiting at the top of his stand and celebrated wildly with his crew when the race was called. Wallace is in his first season driving 23XI Racing, a team owned by both Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.
Wallace burst into tears after returning to his parked # 23 Toyota. The car number was chosen for co-owner Jordan, who wore 23 in the NBA.
“It’s for all the kids who want to have an opportunity and whatever they want to accomplish, and be the best at what they want to do,” Wallace said, choking back tears. “You’re going to go through a lot of (BS). But you must always stay true to your path and not let nonsense get to you.
“Stay strong. Stay humble. Stay hungry. I have had many times where I have wanted to give up.
Wallace is the first black driver to win at the NASCAR Elite Cup level since Wendell Scott in 1963 – a race where he was not declared a winner for several months. NASCAR finally presented Scott’s family with their trophy from this race two months ago.
Bill Lester, a black driver who raced intermittently in NASCAR from 1999 to a Trucks Series start this season, tweeted his congratulations to Wallace.
“Finally, it’s official, you did it! He posted. “So proud of you and what you have accomplished. Your victory moves the needle forward @NASCAR on many fronts. I’m glad I was a witness.
In June 2020 in Talladega, NASCAR discovered a noose in the garage assigned to Wallace. The discovery came just a week after NASCAR banned the Confederate Flag from its events at Wallace’s behest.
The FBI investigated and found the noose was tied to the end of the garage door pull and had been there for months, meaning Wallace was not the victim of a hate crime. However, the whole industry rallied around him and stood in solidarity with Wallace in front of his car at the front of the grid before the race.
The flag ban has been an issue in Talladega, where a convoy of vehicles marched down Speedway Boulevard past the main entrance to the speedway in the four racing weekends since NASCAR said it did would not allow the symbol inside its tracks. The convoy was back this weekend and included a car pulling a trailer containing a Civil War-era cannon.
Wallace called the noose incident a low point in his life. He was subjected to relentless online harassment that last year even included a tweet from then-President Donald Trump who falsely accused Wallace of inventing the vice.
Wallace never saw the noose and was only made aware of it by NASCAR President Steve Phelps after the FBI had already been called in to investigate. He said he never thought about the importance of winning his first career Cup race on the same track in his native Alabama; he was born in Mobile.
“When you say it like that, it obviously brings a lot of emotion, a lot of joy to my family, my fans, my friends. It’s pretty cool,” he said.
Wallace took to a makeshift victory lane inside an empty garage to celebrate with his 23XI Racing team. The organization was formed a year ago and Wallace was the centerpiece of all of the companies that entered NASCAR to support Wallace and his social justice efforts.
23XI will expand to two cars next season with former series champion Kurt Busch joining the team.
Wallace’s victory was his first in 142 career Cup starts, although he had six Truck Series wins from 2013-2015.
No playoff driver has won a race at Talladega this weekend and only Denny Hamlin is already stranded in the third round of the playoffs ahead of next week’s playoff race in Charlotte, NC.
Three-time Daytona 500 winner Hamlin celebrated with Wallace after his seventh place finish.
“It’s just a lot more emotional because I know how difficult it is. These guys have worked so hard over the last 10 months to put together this team, ”Hamlin said. “We are still at the start of our team. We are still growing. We have great things on the horizon. It’s just a good morale booster for everyone.
Brad Keselowski finished second and was followed by Penske teammate Joey Logano in a pair of Fords. Busch finished fourth in a Chevrolet.
Kevin Harvick, Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman and William Byron head to Charlotte in danger of elimination.
FOLLOWING
The final race of the second round of the playoffs takes place at the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The hybrid / oval road course is where the field of 12 will be reduced to eight. Chase Elliott is the two-time winner of the reigning race at Roval. His victory last October was the first of three wins in the last five races that saw Elliott win his first Cup championship.
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