Bubba Wallace Becomes First Black Driver To Win On Indianapolis' Fabled Oval

Justin Casterline/Getty Images

Bubba Wallace wrote his ain sanction successful nan history books connected Sunday. The 23XI driver won nan Brickyard 400 astatine nan Indianapolis Motor Speedway, becoming nan first Black driver to triumph connected nan 116-year-old oval where Black competitors were erstwhile banned. Wallace's triumph ended a 100-race triumph drought and punched his summons into nan NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. The triumph besides comes astatine a clip erstwhile his team, owned by hoops fable Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 victor Denny Hamlin, is suing NASCAR for allegedly violating antitrust laws pinch its charter system.

Wallace's travel to triumph lane wasn't arsenic straightforward arsenic it seemed. The No. 23 Toyota Camry was comfortably successful nan lead up of Kyle Larson pinch 4 laps to go. However, an isolated ablution complete Turn 1 forced a hold and threatened to rainfall connected 23XI's parade. The section was bunched backmost together for overtime, but nan squad wasn't judge really overmuch substance was near successful Wallace's car. If title went excessively acold beyond nan advertised 400 miles, Wallace would either deed quiet aliases beryllium forced to pit. A clang connected overtime's opening thigh pushed nan title into double overtime. Wallace doubled down and decided to enactment connected track. The section safely reached nan achromatic emblem and Bubba had capable substance to return nan win. He moreover had capable near successful nan vessel for a burnout. Wallace said aft nan race:

"It's unbelievable. To triumph present astatine nan Brickyard, knowing really large this title is, knowing each nan sound that's going connected successful nan background, to group that each speech is simply a testament to these group present connected this 23 team. It's been getting aged correct astir nan trim statement (for nan playoffs)."

Shelly Katz/Getty Images

When NASCAR visited nan Indianapolis Motor Speedway for nan inaugural Brickyard 400 successful 1994, it was viewed arsenic a infinitesimal of historical proportions. The title was nan first clip successful 78 years that nan way hosted an arena different than nan Indy 500. Only 3 years earlier, Willy T. Ribbs became nan first Black driver to suffice for and title successful nan 500. The 1990s were a turbulent decade for American open-wheel racing, but nan play laid nan crushed for important changes astatine nan Speedway. By 2000, Indianapolis welcomed Formula 1 arsenic nan track's 3rd awesome yearly race. Notably, Lewis Hamilton won nan last United States Grand Prix connected nan 2.6-mile roadworthy course, which was built specifically for nan event.

Similar to master baseball, nan American Automobile Association erstwhile had a gentlemen's statement to ne'er assistance racing licenses to Black drivers. In guidance to nan ban, Black businessmen successful Indianapolis created nan Colored Speedway Association successful nan early 1920s. The organization's marquee arena was the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes, a 100-mile title astatine nan Indiana State Fairgrounds' mile-long ungraded oval. Racing's Negro League collapsed aft nan 1936 Sweepstakes erstwhile Charlie Wiggins, nan event's only four-time winner, had a career-ending accident.

The eventual extremity of nan Gold and Glory Sweepstakes was to beryllium that nan event's stars were worthy of competing alongside their achromatic peers. AAA would assistance its prohibition and assistance a racing licence to Joie Ray successful 1947, nan aforesaid twelvemonth that Jackie Robinson collapsed baseball's colour barrier. However, nary Glory and Gold driver would ever title successful nan Indianapolis 500. Bubba Wallace's triumph came 101 years aft nan first Gold and Glory Sweepstakes, a hold that lasted acold excessively long.