Wallace ran down Alex Bowman to take the lead for the first time on Lap 200 of 267 and remained out front after successfully navigating a round of green-flag pit stops.
With 16 laps to go, Hamlin – who is co-owner of Wallace’s No. 45 23XI Racing team – got around Christopher Bell and began running down Wallace for the lead.
With no additional cautions to help, Wallace was able to hold off Hamlin by 1 second to earn his second career victory and first of the 2022 season.
“What are they going to say now? Let’s go,” Wallace yelled over his team radio after taking the checkered flag.
Race winner Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, Toyota Camry
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
Wallace, the only fulltime black driver in the Cup Series, also replicated the win by his 23XI Racing teammate, Kurt Busch, who won the spring Kansas race. Wallace is now driving Busch’s No. 45 while Busch continues to recover from the effects of a concussion.
The win by Wallace automatically advances the No. 45 team to the second round of the Cup Series owner’s playoffs, regardless of his performance next weekend at Bristol, Tenn.
“Man, I’m just so proud of this team and the effort they put in each and every week,” Wallace said. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity, right? Took this jump from an idea two years ago from a text from Denny before it all even happened. He was ready to get the deal done. My pit crew was awesome today. We had one loose wheel.
“I knew Denny was going to be strong. That’s the things I look at, is he wasn’t that good at the beginning of the day, and he comes up and finishes P2. And that’s what I want to start doing. When we don’t have the best days, just capitalize on moments like that.
“It’s cool to beat the boss, but man, we were just lights-out today once we got to the lead, and it was a lot of fun.”
Asked how he remained focused to through the final 96-lap green-flag run, Wallace said, “Been doing this for a really long time. I haven’t won a race like that in a really long time, but just knowing getting excited is going to mess you up, so it was just cool, calm, and collected, and here we are.”
Bell finished third, Bowman fourth and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five.
Completing the top-10 were William Byron, Ross Chastain, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Daniel Suarez.
With one race remaining in the first round of the Cup Series driver’s playoffs, the four drivers…
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