SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Ryan Blaney, Team Penske’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, joined his best friend Bubba Wallace in victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, to celebrate Wallace’s thrilling Brickyard 400 win. Wallace, driving the No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, held off Kyle Larson in double overtime to secure his first victory of the season, locking himself into the 2025 playoffs.
Blaney, who finished seventh in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, was among the first to embrace Wallace after the race, their friendship on full display as they celebrated the crown jewel victory. “Let’s roll, baby!” Blaney shouted, as captured in a post on X by @teamblaney, showing the duo dousing each other with celebratory drinks in front of the iconic bricks. The moment underscored their bond, forged through years of racing and mutual support, despite competing for different teams.
Wallace’s win came after a strategic two-tire stop on lap 119, allowing him to inherit the lead when Blaney pitted from first on lap 143. With a red flag for rain halting the race at 5:04 p.m., Wallace conserved fuel through two restarts to edge Larson by 0.222 seconds. “Just so proud of this team,” Wallace said on TNT. “Unbelievable to win here at the Brickyard.”
The race, marked by five cautions for 20 laps and 15 lead changes, saw Blaney win stage two, his fifth stage victory of 2025. However, a late pit stop dropped him from contention, though he remained a strong contender throughout, leading laps before the final cycles.
Final results, listed the top 10 as: 1. Bubba Wallace, 2. Kyle Larson, 3. Denny Hamlin, 4. Ryan Preece, 5. Brad Keselowski, 6. Todd Gilliland, 7. Ryan Blaney, 8. Christopher Bell, 9. Alex Bowman, 10. Carson Hocevar.
For Blaney, the day was bittersweet. While he missed a chance to deliver Team Penske owner Roger Penske a second Brickyard 400 win, his presence in victory lane highlighted the camaraderie that defines NASCAR’s tight-knit community, especially between him and Wallace.
