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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla – Bubba Wallace ran into trouble early and late in his first Daytona 500 driving Michael Jordan on Sunday.
He still came out of NASCAR’s flagship race with another milestone, becoming the first black driver to lead a lap in the Daytona 500.
Wallace dove over the low line at the end of stage two to take the lead on lap 129 in the No.23 Toyota. He lost his lead to two-time defending champion Denny Hamlin – who co-owns 23XI Racing with Jordan – and placed third at the end of the stage.
Wallace was caught on a fiery and chaotic final lap and finished 17th in a race won by Michael McDowell.
“He was running ahead and fighting for stage wins. That’s what we want to see,” Hamlin said of Wallace.
Wallace was forced to pit with 22 laps to go because he felt a vibration in the Toyota. He fell for a lap and prompted Hamlin to give his boss and teammate Toyota a boost towards his run to a third consecutive Daytona 500 championship.
Hamlin was fifth.
“We have worked together a number of times,” Hamlin said. “I actually thought he was going to win the second stage.”
Wallace was second in the 2018 Daytona 500 for the best result in the race by a black rider.
Wallace had a strong first two-thirds of Sunday’s rain-delayed race at Daytona International Speedway after a tumultuous start in Jordan’s first race.
Jordan’s # 23 Toyota failed the pre-race inspection twice, prompting NASCAR to kick the team’s car chief off the field. The car passed the third attempt but had to start from behind. Jordan watched the start of the race from a luxury suite.
The six-time NBA champion had his first conversation with 23XI team leader when he called Mike Wheeler to find out why the team had failed inspection.
Jordan entered NASCAR as the first black principal owner of a full-time Cup Series team in nearly 50 years. He’s tight with Hamlin and took inspiration from pit lane driver Joe Gibbs in the past.
This business is no lark for Jordan. Jordan was a child when his late father packed the car and took the family to NASCAR races at southern tracks such as Daytona, Darlington Raceway, and the late Rockingham Speedway.
Jordan once said that he sets his clock to watch NASCAR every week.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jordan and Wallace have only ever met this week. Jordan hit town in the days leading up to the race and played golf – understandably – and had a made-for-TV team reunion with Wallace and Hamlin.
“I feel like he’s going to learn to win. He’s got the talent,” Jordan told Fox Sports. “We wouldn’t have invested in him and chosen him if he didn’t have the talent to win. By the end of the year I think he will have an opportunity and will probably win at the minus two races. If it’s more, I’d love to. “
Wallace was winless in his first 112 career Cup starts, all leading the No.43 for Richard Petty Motorsports. Wallace is the only full-time black driver at the highest level of NASCAR, and he raised his profile last summer when he successfully called on the series to ban the display of Confederate flags on circuits. His activism caught the attention of American businesses, which raised enough funds from five companies to sponsor the entire Cup season.
Wallace, 27, picked up speed in the No. 23 Toyota – yes, Jordan’s former Bulls number – at Speedweeks and dominated the only practice session this week. He qualified sixth, before falling to the back of the field due to problems during pit practice.
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