The 2025 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway delivered one of the season’s most thrilling finales—and one of its most significant triumphs. On July 27, Bubba Wallace powered the No. 23 Toyota to an emotional and strategic victory in double overtime, navigating chaotic conditions, elite competition, and intense scrutiny. For Wallace, the win marked a defining moment not only in his career but in the history of NASCAR’s marquee events. But there were many factors behind the checkered flag that now bears his name.
Key Highlights
Bubba Wallace’s team executed a flawless fuel strategy amid late-race chaos and overtime.
He held off two challenges from Kyle Larson during intense double-overtime restarts.
The win ended Wallace’s 100-race winless streak, dating back to Kansas in 2022.
Strong teamwork, mental resilience, and sharp racecraft defined Wallace’s performance.
He became the first African American driver to win the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
Perfect Fuel Strategy in Final laps
The fuel mileage game defined the final laps of the 2025 Brickyard 400. As rain delays and cautions extended the race eight laps beyond its scheduled distance, teams were pushed into uncomfortable territory. The No. 23 team made a decisive gamble: stay out and stretch their fuel, even as many competitors pitted during the final caution cycles.
On the radio, Wallace was calm but firm. His team had confidence in the numbers—and in their driver’s discipline. That gamble came into focus after the final restart. Others blinked. Wallace did not. Instead, he managed the pace with surgical efficiency, lifting early, coasting where possible, and making each drop of fuel count. That discipline enabled him to lead the final 26 laps and take the win in the season’s most volatile finale yet.
Surviving Late-Race Mayhem and the Double Overtime
The Brickyard’s closing laps were pure pandemonium. The rain delay with six laps remaining reset all momentum, and with it came the onset of chaos. Wallace inherited the lead after Joey Logano’s right-rear tire failure on lap 135, and from there, the storm began.
First Overtime: Wallace launched cleanly but barely held on as a massive crash in the backstretch forced another restart. Despite increasing fuel pressure and a narrowing margin for error, he didn’t crack under pressure.
Second Overtime: This time, it was Larson applying the heat. The 2024 Brickyard winner stalked Wallace’s bumper, but Wallace defended each line with confidence. Navigating Indianapolis’ sweeping corners and long straights, Wallace never missed a beat, even as his gauges danced dangerously close to empty.
Besting Elite Competition—Especially Kyle Larson
Few opponents are as dangerous in late-race restarts as Kyle Larson. A former Brickyard winner with an uncanny sense for timing and rhythm, Larson made Wallace earn every inch of track. In both overtime sequences, the No. 5 was right there—waiting, watching, lunging.
Wallace, however, gave nothing away. He anticipated each run, matched Larson’s lines, and got just enough drive off each corner to avoid being passed down the straights. In a race decided by milliseconds, Wallace maintained precision that many expected only from NASCAR’s most decorated drivers.
Racecraft and Control in Crucial Phases
Wallace’s success at Indy wasn’t limited to the final few restarts. His execution throughout the race set him up to strike when it mattered most. After qualifying on the front row, Wallace ran inside the top 10 for much of the day, carefully adjusting to long-run pace and tire conservation.
When Logano faltered late, Wallace was already in position. He took the lead cleanly and extended his advantage, navigating lapped traffic and managing tire falloff. With track position proving critical, Wallace’s ability to keep the car clean and conserve resources proved essential when others began to slip.
Composure Amid Adversity and Distraction
Wallace’s win came against more than just on-track rivals. Entering Indianapolis, the 23XI Racing organization was facing legal scrutiny over its charter status—an off-track headache that could’ve easily shaken a team’s focus.
But Wallace never wavered. During the rain delay, he admitted to having intrusive thoughts unrelated to the race itself. And yet, he blocked out the noise.
“That adrenaline rush is crazy. I’m worn out. I’ve thought about every which way to Sunday besides driving a race car during that red flag…To win here at the Brickyard, 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
That kind of mental steel helped Wallace finish the job with a historic and emotional exclamation point.
Operational Excellence from the 23XI Team
The 2025 Brickyard win was a complete team effort. Wallace was quick to credit his crew—whose work was as tight as any in the garage that weekend.
On pit road, the team avoided errors. Stops were clean and consistent. They also nailed the strategy calls: when to go for track position and when to conserve. Late in the race, as most of the field dove into pit road for a splash-and-go, the No. 23 stayed out.
Wallace’s spotters kept him ahead of trouble in the field, his engineers gave him accurate data on weather and fuel, and his crew chief made every call count. In a race shaped by shifting conditions, their cohesion was a critical weapon.
Historic Context: Ending the Streak and Making History
With the checkered flag, Bubba Wallace not only ended a long winless streak but also made history. His last Cup Series win had come in 2022 at Kansas—over 100 races ago. At one point, his place in the playoffs seemed far from guaranteed. But with the Brickyard victory, Wallace is now locked in and well-positioned for a strong postseason.
More importantly, he became the first African American driver to win the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, NASCAR’s most iconic track not named Daytona. The significance of that moment wasn’t lost in Victory Lane. This was more than just a points win—it was a legacy moment.
News in Brief: How Bubba Wallace Won the 2025 Brickyard 400
Bubba Wallace won the 2025 Brickyard 400 in dramatic fashion after a rain delay, tire failures, and two overtime restarts. Fuel strategy from the 23XI Racing team proved crucial, as Wallace stayed out during the final caution while others pitted. He held off Kyle Larson in both overtime periods, showing composure, racecraft, and precision. The win snapped his 100-race winless streak and locked him into the playoffs. Wallace became the first African American to win the Brickyard 400.
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Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Who won the Brickyard 400 today in 2025?
Q. How much money did Bubba Wallace win?
Bubba Wallace is expected to receive between eight and ten percent of the total prize pool of \$11,055,250 for his Brickyard 400 win. This means his payout will likely range from approximately \$884,420 to \$1,105,525.
