The NASCAR world was abuzz on Sunday, October 25th, as Bubba Wallace qualified on pole position for the second round of the NASCAR Playoffs at Texas Motor Speedway. The historic moment marked the first time a Black driver has ever earned pole position in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Bubba Wallace, who drives the #43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Richard Petty Motorsports, had a great qualifying run, posting a lap time of 27.905 seconds at a speed of 196.929 mph. He was the only driver to break the 27-second barrier, and he beat out second place qualifier Brad Keselowski by 0.072 seconds.
The significance of this accomplishment is not lost on Wallace, who said after the race that he was “overwhelmed” with emotion. He also thanked his team for their hard work and dedication to helping him achieve this milestone.
Wallace’s pole position is a huge step forward for the sport of NASCAR, which has been working hard to increase diversity and inclusion in recent years. This accomplishment is sure to inspire other drivers of color to pursue their dreams of racing in NASCAR.
As for Wallace, he will now look to capitalize on his pole position and make a deep run in the playoffs. He will have to battle some of the best drivers in the sport, but if he can keep up his strong performance, he could make history and become the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship.
