Bubba Wallace’s historic NASCAR win represents a better, more inclusive future for people like me

• Last week, Bubba Wallace became the second Black driver to win in NASCAR's top level, the Cup Series.
• As a young, Black writer, I'd been waiting my entire life to see a winning Cup Series driver who looked like me.
• Wallace's victory was a win for everyone, like me, striving toward a more diverse future in racing.

When you realize you're about to witness history, nothing else seems to matter. For NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and his supporters, that moment came on October 4, 2021 at Talladega Superspeedway.

In 2017, Wallace became the first Black driver since Wendell Scott in 1971 to race full time in NASCAR's top level, the Cup Series. Four years later, he'd fought to the front of the Cup Series field at Talladega as incoming weather threatened to end the race at any time.

"What the drivers just got told right there is, 'This thing is going to end any second,'" the commentators said as Wallace led two lines of race cars around the track, blocking each one as other drivers got a run on him. "The [rain] cell is right on top of us. This could be for the race win."

Not long after, a three-car wreck brought out the yellow flag. Under caution, weather struck and the race entered a nerve-wracking rain delay as NASCAR attempted to dry the track. Wallace still led.

During the weather delay, all eyes were glued to Wallace and his 23XI Racing team, formed by Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan to compete from the 2021 season onward with Wallace as their driver. Fellow competitors Chase Elliott and Corey LaJoie, who had changed from his racing suit into regular clothing, approached Wallace with smiles on their faces.

"Is today really going to be the day?" I thought. "After watching NASCAR since my childhood, am I finally going to see a Black driver win for the first time in my lifetime?" No way.

At one point, it seemed like NASCAR was making some progress with the track-drying efforts. But with the amount of time needed to dry the 2.66-mile Alabama speedway and daylight running out, heavier rain would likely mean a rain-shortened race.

And rain heavier it did. NASCAR announced the race wouldn't resume, and Wallace erupted with joy. It's so difficult to win in ultra-competitive environments like the NASCAR Cup Series, especially for first-year teams like 23XI Racing.

Yet here Wallace was, joining Scott as the second Black driver in NASCAR history to win at the top level.

Scott became the first Black driver to win a NASCAR race in the premier series at the Jacksonville 200 on December 1, 1963. The following year, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.

But in what was labeled a "scoring error," NASCAR named Buck Baker the winner instead. Later on, NASCAR reviewed timing and scoring, which determined that Scott really did win the Jacksonville 200. Yet Scott never got to take his trophy home.

Nearly 58 years after Scott's historic win - and 31 years after his death - NASCAR held a special ceremony in August at Daytona International Speedway to give the Scott family a trophy to celebrate his win. The move was long overdue.

It breaks my heart knowing Scott never got a proper celebration with the trophy he earned. But I'm glad that NASCAR ultimately made this right in the end, giving Scott's loved ones closure many years after the fact.

Scott made history and broke down barriers, becoming NASCAR's version of Jackie Robinson. Several years ago, I wrote an article about Scott emphasizing his deep commitment to racing, despite facing many obstacles at the height of racial tensions in America. His legacy will live on forever as one of the sport's great trailblazers who simply stood his ground.

He wanted to go racing just like everyone else. What was wrong with that?

Scott's legacy weighed heavily on my mind during the Talladega rain delay. Something special was happening - something that would be the subject of history lessons and documentaries one day - and I was about to witness it.

The road to his first career Cup win was a long, emotional one for Wallace.

In summer 2020 at Talladega Superspeedway, the same place Wallace won his first Cup Series race a year later, a rope tied in a similar fashion to a noose was discovered in Wallace's garage stall. Reading the news about this infuriated me.

The FBI conducted an investigation and later determined it wasn't a hate crime; the rope had been tied that way for several months.

But that race weekend, when the NASCAR industry thought a disgusting hate crime had taken place, the entire garage rallied around Wallace in a beautiful sign of unity. Drivers and team members pushed his car to the front of the grid as Wallace sat behind the wheel emotionally. I had tears in my eyes watching it happen.

As a young, Black writer, I understand the significance of representation in auto racing as the sport continues to work toward a more diverse environment. People want to see others who look like them finding success.

Working with a diverse group of people at motorsport outlets like The Podium Finish and GRID Network has reinforced the importance of diversity in my life. I've gained new perspectives by listening to my colleagues, because everyone has a different, unique story that motivates them as a member of the motorsports community.

Over the years, most people didn't understand why I wanted to be a part of NASCAR, since a lot of folks in this environment don't look like me. They often said I should focus on "normal sports" that people like me usually watch, such as football and basketball.

This has frustrated me my entire life. I hope I live to see the day when it's not considered "odd" by the general public to be Black and love motorsports.

My favorite part about journalism is storytelling. I love a feel-good story with a wide range of emotions. While I understand the journalistic responsibilities of not picking favorites, watching everyone show support to the Cup Series' only full-time Black driver was such a special moment that I'll never forget. It provided a strong sense of belonging.

From the bottom of my heart, I believe we're heading in the right direction. But we still have much work to do.

As someone who others called "the Black guy who likes NASCAR" growing up, watching a Black driver win a NASCAR race is validation to me. It proves that you're capable of doing anything in life; it doesn't matter where you come from, who you are, or what you look like.

Wallace's victory isn't just a win for him. It's a win for the Black community. It's a win for all of his loyal supporters. It's a win for young Black racers like Rajah Caruth looking up to Wallace as a role model. It's a win for the entire NASCAR Drive for Diversity program.

It's a win for those who want to see a better tomorrow - which should be all of us.