Bubba Wallace survived two overtime periods to win the race.
INDIANAPOLIS β Bubba Wallace saved just enough fuel to hold off Kyle Larson and win NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.
Wallace survived two overtime restart attempts that followed a red flag for rain. Wallace was out front because of a fuel strategy call that found him in the front in the closing laps.
Wallace cleared Larson during the first restart, but a crash involving Christopher Bell, Zane Smith, and Tyler Reddick forced another overtime attempt.
On the second restart, fuel was even tighter, but Wallace cleared Larson to score his third career win.
“So proud of this team,” Wallace said after the win.Β
Chase Briscoe started on the pole for the fifth time this season. He led until the first caution when pit strategy shuffled him out of the top spot. Ross Chastain crashed after contact from Michael McDowell to bring out the caution on lap 17.
Austin Cindric inherited the lead by staying off pit road. He later pitted under green, giving the lead back to Briscoe and eventually the stage one win.
A stackup on the restart at the beginning of the second stage damaged several cars but did not force another caution.
Cindric regained the lead in the second stage but suffered a flat tire while leading under green. It was the first of multiple problems to hit Penske drivers seeking a win with an alternate strategy.
Erik Jones lost a tire and hit the wall as the whole wheel fell off the car, causing a caution. Ryan Blaney stayed off pit road to pick up the stage two win, but ran out of fuel under caution, sending him to the back of the field.
Most of the final stage ran uninterrupted with Larson leading the way. Most of the leaders hit pit road when the window opened, but a select few stretched it long or banked on going all the way. Wallace, Joey Logano, and Josh Berry were among these drivers.Β
Logano was the highest running of these strategists, but blew a tire on lap 135. Wallace then held the lead with a large gap over the hard-charging Larson.
Wallace’s lead seemed insurmountable until a caution was called for rain with five laps to go. An 18-minute red flag was held as officials dried the track.
The caution and red flag forced an overtime finish. Wallace maintained the lead on the first restart attempt. Bell clipped Smith, forcing the latter driver into the wall and an oncoming Reddick.Β
Wallace cleared Larson even sooner on the second restart attempt and held on for the win.Β
The victory comes as Wallace’s 23XI Racing team is forced to enter as “open” cars as an ongoing lawsuit continues between the team and NASCAR over its charter system. Front Row Motorsports is also suing NASCAR in the same lawsuit.
The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action at Iowa Speedway. Ryan Blaney is the defending winner.
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