Bubba Wallace becomes first African-American to earn NASCAR Cup Series win in 57 years

TALLADEGA, AL — In 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson took over as U.S. President after the death of JFK, The Beatles mounted their U.S. invasion and, on December 1, Wendell Scott earned the only win for an African-American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.

That is, until October 4, 2021, when Bubba Wallace earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win in Monday’s rain-shortened YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Wallace’s first win came in his 143rd NCS race.

Wallace’s win was also the first win for the newly-formed, Michael Jordan-and-Denny Hamlin-owned 23XI Racing, in their 31st NCS race.

Wallace last won August 2017 at Michigan International Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Crew chief Bootie Barker also earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win in his 484th start. Barker won four NASCAR XFINITY Series races with Scott Wimmer in 2002.

SOURCES: NASCAR, Racing-Reference.Info