Bubba Wallace wasn’t expected to be a factor during the NASCAR Cup Series Indianapolis weekend. The 23XI Racing driver had just two Cup wins and hadn’t visited victory lane since 2022. However, he shocked the field by capturing his first Crown Jewel race at the legendary Brickyard.
In a revealing conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Wallace opened up about the incredible aftermath of his historic Brickyard 400 victory.
How Did Bubba Wallace Handle the Chaos After His Brickyard 400 Victory?
Wallace managed his fuel through two overtime periods to secure his first win in 100 starts. A late pit stop would have effectively ended his championship hopes. Regaining the lead at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is notoriously tricky, so Wallace trusted his instincts and reaped the rewards.
The breakthrough victory secured Wallace’s playoff spot and demonstrated how much the driver had evolved over recent seasons.
Wallace was understandably emotional after the checkered flag. He appeared on the latest “Dale Jr. Download” episode to detail the whirlwind experience that followed his Indianapolis triumph.
While Earnhardt Jr. enjoyed a stellar Cup Series career, he never had the chance to kiss the bricks at IMS. After winning at Indianapolis, the NASCAR Hall of Famer asked Wallace what the rest of the day feels like.
“I felt bad for (Ryan) Blaney cause, you know, we share a plane for half the season. It was probably two hours after the Nashville win that he had. Uh, maybe it wasn’t that long, I don’t know,” Wallace said. “But it felt like it was forever after this one.”
“So, I started there, obviously, on the front stretch and then went up backstage, backed the car up on the stage, platform up there. Did our pictures there. Then we went back down to kiss the bricks. Did a lot of photos with that, with the team.”
Wallace explained that after a brief, non-media-related visit to the media center, he returned for a special group photo. He highlighted that Dave Rogers had thoughtfully organized all three teams to gather for a picture on the start-finish line, right on the iconic bricks.
He noted that the group photo was an incredible experience because it gave everyone a chance to kiss the bricks. Following more pictures, which included team owner Denny Hamlin and his family, Wallace fulfilled his media duties, first with interviews on the front stretch and then with a full press conference inside the media center.
“I’m a guy that likes to talk a lot. So, I give elaborate answers, and so I could control that time frame, but you know, I didn’t care cause it was my day. It was my moment. I felt like it was two and a half hours, maybe three hours, I’m not really sure. But it was a lot. And man, I’ll tell you, that’s the fastest adrenaline escape I had.”
So what’s next for Wallace after his Indianapolis breakthrough? The 31-year-old will need to refocus quickly as the Cup Series travels to Iowa this weekend. His playoff position is virtually locked up now, but he’ll be eager for more success following such a career-defining victory.