Bubba Wallace Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon
It may have taken Bubba Wallace six races to crack the top 10 in 2025, but his recent third-place finishes at both Homestead-Miami and Martinsville are a far better representation of the speed and performance he and the No. 23 team have shown this year.
Since joining 23XI Racing in 2021, Wallace has often faced doubts about his capabilities. But during the offseason, he made it clear he doesn’t want to just be racing for a paycheck—if he’s not competitive, he wouldn’t stick around. Those comments resurfaced Michael Jordan’s old remark—“we don’t sign checks for losers”—but may have sparked something in the 31-year-old Alabama native. His consistent speed across a variety of tracks is turning heads.
Currently, Wallace sits eighth in the standings, and he’s third in stage points through seven races. This strong form marks a turning point for Wallace, who is still chasing his first win since 2022—and his first win in the No. 23 car that wasn’t rain-shortened.
Fans have noticed that Wallace seems more at ease this season. He’s been less self-critical and more composed when things don’t go his way, helping him maintain consistency. That pressure he used to put on himself? It’s toned down now.
“It’s been two years, so what’s another six races, right?” Wallace told Beyond the Flag. “We came into this year with a new mindset.”
That refreshed approach includes a new crew chief—Charles Denike replaced Bootie Barker for 2025—and Wallace believes it’s been a major boost.
“Charles coming in and leading us has been huge. We’ve been racking up stage points and running up front, and now we’re seeing it pay off,” Wallace said. “This sport is tough, so it’s important to stay mentally sharp and enjoy the moment.”
While Wallace remains focused on the now, he’s also thinking big-picture. He’s not afraid to admit he’s dreaming of victory lane, and he knows how much pressure a win would relieve.
“Getting back to victory lane soon would let me enjoy the season more without so much stress.”
Unlike past seasons where each race felt like a do-or-die moment, Wallace is finally able to see the value in strong runs even without a win.
“Finishing on the podium the last two weeks has been great, and we know we’re close.”
Wallace missed the playoffs in 2024 despite scoring more points than some playoff drivers—including champion Joey Logano—because he didn’t win. So the pressure to break through still looms.
Especially when you consider his teammate, Tyler Reddick, has five wins since 2023 and made it to the Championship 4 last year. Wallace has never really outshined a teammate at 23XI—whether it was Kurt Busch or Reddick—but right now, he’s just five points behind Reddick, with a better average starting position and over twice the laps led.
If everything finally clicks for Wallace, it feels like the beginning of a wave of success, not a fluke.
He’s long embraced criticism, but now that his results are backing him up, he seems to be enjoying the spotlight more than ever—and fans appear to be warming up to him, too.
Wallace will look to keep that momentum alive this weekend at Darlington Raceway after qualifying fifth for Sunday’s race.
“We still have a lot of work to do to get to the top spot,” he said.
