“Knowing how big this race is, knowing all the noise that’s going on in the background, to set that all aside is a testament to these people here on this 23 team.” Bubba Wallace’s words immediately after winning the Brickyard 400 accurately displayed his emotions. The 23XI Racing driver had been in the doldrums for three years, tackling poor finishes and raging doubts about his career. To overcome all of that felt mightier than NASCAR’s crown jewel race.
Once the inaugural Brickyard 400 race was flagged off in 1994, it scripted history. After garnering 250,000 spectators for the first race, NASCAR Hall of Famers like Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick carved their names on it. Bubba Wallace joined that elite group last week, but he is not too carried away by it.
Bubba Wallace is focusing on the big picture
For the past few weeks, Bubba Wallace was busy training. He was turning laps in the Summer Shootout Legends Series along with Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin. This practice proved crucial for Wallace’s growth, and it paid off at Indianapolis. For McLaughlin, an IndyCar driver, winning in Indy is the ultimate dream. The Team Penske driver qualified 10th in this year’s Indy 500 race on May 25th with a speed of 233.013 MPH. He could not get it done, though, as McLaughlin washed up in a dismal 30th-place finish. So watching his friend in the NASCAR Cup Series dominate the 2.5-mile oval racetrack got McLaughlin pumped. However, the friend has other things to focus on.
In a recent Dale Jr Download episode, Bubba Wallace recollected a conversation with his Legends Series associate. Scott McLaughlin could not contain his emotions after Wallace’s victory, as the latter said: “I was just texting with Scott McLaughlin, and he’s a big Indy guy…He was like, ‘Has it sunk in yet?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, this is actually really cool. I’m pumped that we’re locked into the playoffs.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, but you won at Indy, though!’” However, Wallace was a bit unfazed. He continued, “Winning the Brickyard 400 is awesome, it’s special, it’s really, really cool. But I think there’s bigger levels to it for other people. It’s just another race for me, right?”
One day it’ll sink in… but for now, his eyes are locked ahead. @DaleJr | @BubbaWallace pic.twitter.com/jSogBPEs3l
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) July 31, 2025
Understandably so, considering the cutthroat nature of NASCAR’s playoff system. Although the Brickyard 400 victory vaulted him into the postseason, Bubba Wallace could easily get eliminated in any of the playoff rounds. What is more, Wallace’s team is in a legal dilemma. 23XI Racing is currently racing as an open team, having lost its charter security in the NASCAR lawsuit. Hence, Wallace is focusing on the bigger picture – how to survive in these chaotic conditions. He said, “I don’t mean to downplay it at all. But I’ve just been a guy that it doesn’t matter if it’s Daytona, Bristol, Indy. Every race is the same race.”
Even while taking a serious approach to his victory, Bubba Wallace celebrated in his own way.
Rejoicing in his ‘dad’ shoes
Over the last stretch of 2024, Bubba Wallace went through some big changes. On the racetrack, his team, 23XI Racing, challenged NASCAR in a historical lawsuit. Off the circuit, Wallace became a father, as he and his wife Amanda welcomed Becks Hayden in September. This bundle of joy revamped Wallace’s approach to racing, as he admitted after capturing the 2025 Daytona 500 pole. And Becks was just two days shy of turning 10 months old when his dad won in Indianapolis. That made it all the more special, and Wallace held up his son on Victory Lane like The Lion King’s Simba. What is more, Wallace felt Becks’ presence in the post-race celebration, too.
Gone are his days of youth when Bubba Wallace was full of energy and mischief. Now, he had to curb his celebration and hear his son’s cries. He does not mind it, though, as Wallace said: “Getting tore up and having a hangover the next day is for the birds. I had two beers and a glass of bourbon Sunday after the race. I woke up 7 am. Becks is crying, ready to rip. He’s ready to go on about his day. That sobers you up real quick, too. But man, I can’t get past two more beers, and then, I’m ready for bed. Damn, I’m getting old. That sounds like an old man.”
As Bubba Wallace embraces his ‘old man’ or ‘dad’ duties, he also realizes his full potential. The Brickyard win was just the start, so let’s wait and see where Wallace wins next.
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