Bubba Wallace Has Just Become The Second Black Driver To Win A NASCAR Cup Series Race

Bubba Wallace won the NASCAR Cup at Talladega, becoming the first African-American driver to triumph in over five decades. Hall of Fame member Wendell Scott was the first black motorist to win a race in Jacksonville, Florida, when he took home victory in 1963.

Due to a torrential downpour, the YellaWood 500 was delayed and the race had to come to a halt several times during the day. Wallace. who drove through an incident on track, reached the top spot five laps before the second break.

Here's to you, @BubbaWallace. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/1YEcx4SIvx

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 5, 2021

Officials attempted for more than 45 minutes to dry out the course against the setting sun and rain that provided no indication of stopping. After 117 laps, with Wallace at the wheel of car the No. 23 Toyota, the flag was red-flagged.

When he arrived at his vehicle, which was parked at the 23 Toyota Stand, Wallace shed tears of happiness. In 143 starts, Wallace had never won a race in the Cup Series with 23XI Racing, the Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin co-owned team that is just beginning its first season in the Cup Series.

In June 2020, a noose was discovered in Talladega’s garage stall assigned to Wallace. NASCAR only found it a week later, after Wallace advised them to ban the Confederate flag from their events.

The police were called in, and the knot was found to be used to pull on the garage door; meaning Wallace was not a target of hatred. Despite this, a lot of people gathered around him to support him, with many standing around him at the beginning of the race out of solidarity on the grid.