Kevin Harvick Touched by NASCAR Drivers & Fans’ Heartfelt Gesture for Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace made history by becoming the first Black driver to win on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval at the 2025 Brickyard 400. He survived a late rain delay, two overtimes, fuel concerns, and a fierce challenge from Kyle Larson to secure the victory. This was Wallace’s third NASCAR Cup Series win and his first at a crown jewel race, ending a 100-race winless streak.

And as if the race wasn’t dramatic enough, what happened after the checkered flag might just be what folks remember most. From the grandstands to pit road, the reaction defied expectations. The usual boos? Muted. Instead, it was the kind of moment that reminded everyone why sports matter. Because sometimes, it’s bigger than just the win, and even NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick couldn’t help but acknowledge this truth.

Bubba Wallace’s victory sparks an unlikely wave of support

For a driver who’s grown used to racing through noise, some of it ugly, Bubba Wallace’s Brickyard 400 win brought something different. As he crossed the finish line at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a roar of cheers — yes, cheers — rose from the crowd. “When he came across the line and he won, that place erupted,” Mamba Smith said on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast.

“There were some boos, but not what you would think based off of driver intros every week. There was a lot of excitement,” Smith further added. Wallace’s past few seasons have been defined as much by the scrutiny as the stats. A 100-race winless streak. Public backlash. Social media hate. And yet, he kept showing up. This win didn’t just break a personal drought. Instead, it felt like a reset button on how fans and fellow competitors see him.

Kevin Harvick took note of that shift firsthand, pointing to the immediate outpouring of respect from fellow drivers. “You go back to that little clique of guys, right? That have all come up together. When you talk about Bubba and Blaney and Chase Elliott and Reddick, all these guys,” Harvick said on the podcast. “And you see, they know the pressure. They know the pressure that’s on Bubba.”

And pressure’s no exaggeration. During the Brickyard 400, Wallace faced fuel strategy issues, a late rain delay, and had Kyle Larson breathing down his neck in two overtimes. On the broader scale, Wallace had a lacklustre 2025. He faced six DNFs and has been hanging in the playoff bubble for some weeks now. The win finally secured his spot in the postseason.

Harvick then elaborated on how the pressure ramps up when one doesn’t win a race for too long. “And when it’s been a couple years, the pressure is even higher when you’re one of those marquee guys. And so, you saw the respect that they had for Bubba and the things that you witnessed after the race, with all the congratulations of door slams and things like that.”

Even Larson, the runner-up, praised Wallace after the race. “He was very complimentary of what Bubba Wallace did,” Kaitlyn Vincie said. “Saying how hard he’s worked.” Larson walked up to Bubba Wallace and congratulated him, showcasing his respect and recognition for a rival who had not only outpaced him on track but also endured and overcome relentless pressure off it.

The bottom line: In NASCAR, respect is earned. And on that day, Bubba didn’t just earn a win. Instead, he earned something far rarer: a moment of collective grace from fans and rivals alike.

Brickyard breakthrough ends the inner war for Bubba Wallace

For all the external noise Bubba Wallace has faced, the boos, the criticism, the relentless social media scrutiny, perhaps the loudest voice working against him came from within. But on Sunday at the Brickyard 400, that voice was finally silenced. Wallace didn’t just defeat his competitors; he conquered his own lingering insecurities.

In his post-race interview, Wallace admitted, “So I have found my biggest problem, and that’s this [pointing to his head]. If I could shut that off mentally, fully, we could do a lot more of this.” For a driver who’s battled anxiety and self-doubt throughout his career, especially the 2025 season, this wasn’t just a win. Rather, it was validation.

A lot has changed for Wallace in the last 12 months. In July 2024, Wallace was fined $50,000 for door-slamming Alex Bowman after the Chicago Street Race. Now, this was an incident that might’ve once sent him spiraling. Instead, Wallace called that penalty “probably the best thing to happen to me” just a week later. The wake-up call came with a conversation from Kevin Harvick, who encouraged him to “be the fun-loving guy that I am,” prompting a much-needed mental reset.

Then came fatherhood. In late September, Wallace and his wife, Amanda, welcomed their first child, Becks. This personal milestone added clarity and perspective. On the professional front, he began 2025 with Charles Denike, a first-time Cup Series crew chief. That change, paired with Wallace’s renewed personal drive, marked a shift in his mentality, one that finally translated into results at Indy.

Wallace’s Brickyard win wasn’t just another stat sheet entry; it was the exhale of a long-held breath. It proved that he could win on a legacy track, against the sport’s best, while carrying the weight of expectation, identity, and inner doubt. And more importantly, it helped him prove it to himself.