[ad_1]
Bubba Wallace became just the second black rider 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 in the face of sunset and the rain showing no signs of stopping, the race was called off.
Wallace was waiting at the top of his booth for Nascar to make a decision and exploded into celebration with his crew when the race was called up on the sacred track in Alabama. Wallace is in his first season driving 23X1 Racing, a team owned by both Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.
He is the first black driver to win at the elite level of the NASCAR Cup since Wendell Scott in 1963 – a race where he was not declared the winner for several months. Nascar finally presented Scott’s family with their trophy from this race two months ago.
Wallace burst into tears after returning to his parked No. 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.
Bill Lester, a black driver who raced intermittently in 1999 NASCAR at a Trucks Series start this season, tweeted his congratulations to Wallace.
Finally, it’s official, you did it! Congratulations @BubbaWallace. So proud of you and what you have accomplished. Your victory moves the @NASCAR needle forward on so many fronts. Happy to have been a witness. @ 23XIRacing #NOT YET
– Bill Lester (@Bill_Lester) October 4, 2021
“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 attributed to Wallace. The discovery came just a week after Nascar banned the Confederate flag during his events at Wallace’s request.
The FBI investigated and found that the noose was tied to the end of the garage door pull and that 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 has been the subject of relentless online harassment that last year even included a tweet from then-US President Donald Trump who falsely accused Wallace of inventing the vice.
“TO @BubbaWallace apologized to all those great pilots and NASCAR officials who came to his aid, stood by his side and were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find it was just another HOAX? The president tweeted in July 2020.
Referring to Nascar’s decision to ban the display of the Confederate flag at its events, the President added, “This decision and the flag caused the lowest ratings EVER!”
In fact, Nascar’s TV ratings had increased over the past two months.
Trump’s tweet echoed conspiracy theories targeting Wallace. An FBI investigation found that the driver was not the victim of a hate crime and that the noose was designed as a doorknob last fall, long before his team was assigned to the garage. by Talladega.
It’s a mystery why Wallace should apologize: He hasn’t found or reported the noose. One of Wallace’s fellow travelers, Tyler Reddick, duly pushed the president away.
“We don’t need an apology,” Reddick wrote. “We did what was right and we will do very well without your support.”
Wallace himself responded to Trump later on Monday in a message on Twitter addressed to “the next generation and the little ones who follow in my footsteps”.
Wallace urged those who looked to him as an example to “hold your head up and proudly walk your chosen path.” Wallace concluded the post: “Always deal with the hate thrown at you with LOVE. Love over hate every day. Love should come naturally because people are TAUGHT to hate. Even when it is HATE. of POTUS.
Wallace’s victory on Monday 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 Hamlin is already stranded in the third round of the playoffs ahead of next week’s playoff race in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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.
[ad_2]
Source link