When Denny Hamlin announced he was co-owning a Cup Series team with NBA legend Michael Jordan and making Bubba Wallace the lone driver, a sense of infectious optimism for what could come could be felt. 

Fast forward five years later and ahead of the 2025 Brickyard 400, Wallace’s mere two wins with the team stuck out like a sore thumb. The first, in 2021, came after a downpour shortened the fall Talladega race. His second would come a year later, a decisive victory at Kansas. 

After proving he could get it done wire to wire at an intermediate track, many figured the driver of the 23  would continue to stack wins under his belt. 

Painstakingly, it wouldn’t come. Despite a record year in 2023 in terms of average finish and a run into the Round of Twelve, Wallace went winless. 2024 saw a regression in many categories and multiple missed opportunities. When Charles Denike came in to be Wallace’s new crew chief, it was make or break. 

Consider it made.

After years of either horrible luck, self inflicted mistakes and playing second fiddle to the #45 of Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace finally clutched up when it mattered against the cream of the crop in Cup and won. Not only that, but it would be one of NASCARs four “crown jewel” races, a list that includes the Daytona 500, the Southern 500 & Coke 600. 

Wallace started the weekend off qualifying second, immediately putting the 23 team in a solid spot to progress from. Against determined Indiana native Chase Briscoe, Wallace fell back as the race started and assumed a spot in the top 5. 

Indy proved to be another 1.5 mile track that is dependent on track position and clean air in the Next Gen car, and Wallace held down third before a Ross Chastain caution caused the cars to rerack on lap 15. 

Utilizing the caution, Austin Cindric led the field on the lap 23 restart. Cars jockeyed around for position, using the tracks wide backstretch to careen down and divebomb for position. When Cindric inevitably pitted, Briscoe took the lead back and captured stage one with Wallace in tow. 

Briscoe has benefitted from a string of impressive qualifying efforts all summer, reminding me of a young Ryan Newman. Securing a win at the Brickyard after idolizing Indy heroes like Tony Stewart not only would etch his name in history, but give him cushion in the playoffs. 

After small lead shuffles including the likes of Alex Bowman and Ryan Preece, 

Cindric took the lead back and continued to log down lead laps. By Lap 70, the #2 Mustang had led over 30 laps, marking the most for a Penske car in the Brickyard 400 since Rusty Wallace in 2000.

That would be the end of the history making for the #2, as a flat tire forced them down pit road, losing heaps of position. Wallace took the lead back before pitting himself, just finishing his stop as the second caution for incident came out when Erik Jones had a wheel come apart, ending his day. 

Ryan Blaney restarted at the helm for a three lap stage two shootout against Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson, who is looking to change the tune on his current association with Indianapolis. Despite their best efforts, the #12 coasted away and captured his fifth stage win of the season. 

The start of stage three saw the orange and blue #5 of Larson dart out to the lead. Noticeably frustrated with the constant reminder of his less than fortunate Indianapolis double results, Larson continued to set down blazing times showing he was a force. 

With cars once again cycling through the pits on Lap 122, Joey Logano led the pack of cars who had the most fuel in 5th, effectively holding down the future lead of the race. Wallace was hot behind the #22 of Logano, but dirty air wouldn’t allow the #23 to get to his spot.

This is when the first event of many that felt like movie scenes would commence, as Logano’s right rear tire blew and he’d limp out to pit lane, giving Wallace the eventual lead. 

As the laps ticked down with 18 to go, an ever stubborn Blaney was forced to concede his lead to get fuel, sending the #23 barreling into first with his eyes on a clean finish.  

Behind him was his teammate Tyler Reddick, who couldn’t hold off a poised and hungry Larson as he snatched second place. Now just five seconds back, Larson slowly shaved tenths off of the difference. 

Larson has always been a force of terror for Wallace and his fans. At every step of every race that Wallace looked ready to win, the #5 seemed to always be around and ready to change its tune. 

The ticker reaching five laps to go, and Larson cutting the lead to just three seconds, there would need to be some insane work done to catch the determined Wallace. 

Just as it seemed the #23 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry could coast home for the biggest victory of his career, the yellow flag flew. One small, dark cell crept onto the race track and dumped a small puddle into turn one and pit road. Not enough to call the race, but enough to put something into question; Just how much fuel does Bubba Wallace have left to go through multiple restarts? 

According to Crew Chief Charles Denike, just one was a guarantee. One green white checkered in this era of NASCAR? Good luck. Nonetheless, drivers waited the weather and got back onto a colder, grippier track. 

Wallace wasted zero time jumping out to a huge lead on the restart and taking advantage of the bottom of the track’s better line. Sliding in front of Larson, Wallace reached turn three and just needed to reach the white flag to seemingly take it home. 

Not so easy, of course. 

Christopher Bell “accidentally” right reared Zane Smith into the wall and brought out the yellow once more. With fuel in question and another restart against the 2021 Cup Champion in the distance, it started to seem like Wallace’s window was closing. 

As the cars marched around the track for what seemed like an eternity, Wallace drove past pit road as it opened, choosing to keep the lead and stacking all of his chips on the line. 

It was either the #23 locking himself into the postseason, or falling below the cut line and forcing an impossible situation onto a season running out of time. 

The drivers launched one more time. Larson made sure to stay close on the outside this time, staying close. Diving deep into turn one, Larson’s savvy restart mattered not. Wallace took the lead with a respectful iron fist and held onto the lead. Everyone held their breath as they waited for the yellow to drop again, only this time it never did. 

The #23 darted across the start/finish line, taking the white flag and forcing the race to end no matter what would happen behind him. Taking it around one more time, the ultimate “prove it” moment for Wallace was achieved. 

No rain delays, no different car numbers, no blown restarts or second place heartbreaks. Wallace beat the best the series could offer fair and square, earning a playoff bid and a win that will forever go down as a pivotal point in Wallace’s career. 

“I thought about every which way to Sunday, besides driving a race car under that red flag”, said Wallace. “Welcome to victory Becks, it’s really cool. To overcome so much and to put these people in victory lane means so much”. 

Wallace and his wife Amanda welcomed a baby boy earlier in the year, something that Wallace himself has stated changed his perspective on things. The three shared a moment on the bricks after the race, a moment forever irreplaceable. 

Droves of drivers at the race and across motorsports including Scott McLaughlin showed their praise for Wallace. The win puts the 23 team at 9th in the playoff standings behind Chase Briscoe. 

This will be the second time in three seasons Wallace has found the playoffs, but the first time winning his way in. 

“To be the best you have to beat the best,” said Wallace. “I am winning at life.”

Beat the best you did, now becoming more? I’d say the sky’s the limit for the 23 team. 

The Cup Series waves the green flag from Iowa Motor Speedway at 12:30 PM PST.