Bubba Wallace Pays Tribute to Wendell Scott at Darlington Race
Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver racing full-time in NASCAR, will be honoring the legacy of Wendell Scott, the only Black man to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, during Sunday’s race at Darlington. Wallace’s No. 23 car will be designed to resemble the No. 34 car that Scott drove during his Cup Series career.
Wendell Scott made his NASCAR debut in 1961 and is recognized as the first Black driver to receive a NASCAR license. His historic victory came in 1964 at Jacksonville Speedway Park, though it was initially awarded to another driver due to a scoring error. Scott was eventually declared the winner two hours later, but the delayed victory meant he missed out on celebrating in Victory Lane.
Since his NASCAR debut in 2017, Wallace has been a trailblazer as the only Black driver in the Cup Series. Currently competing in his fourth full-time season, Wallace drives for 23XI Racing, a team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.
Known for his advocacy on social and racial justice issues, Wallace has been a prominent voice in the sport. He gained national attention during the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020 and played a pivotal role in NASCAR’s decision to ban the Confederate flag in June of that year.
This Sunday’s race marks the second time Wallace has paid tribute to Wendell Scott in NASCAR. In 2014, Wallace drove a No. 34 truck at Martinsville to honor Scott’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, securing his fourth Truck Series win and becoming only the second Black driver, alongside Scott, to win a national series NASCAR race.
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