Bubba Wallace has been no stranger to the spotlight in recent years, but this season is a little different. The 23XI Racing driver has had a rollercoaster of high hopes and hard knocks this year. He found himself spiraling into a tough stretch—zero top 10s in a month, petrol registrations, and fans starting to wonder if the momentum from 2023 had fizzled out. Bubba’s mid-season slump was more than just numbers—it was a test of grit. Sure, Bubba had a promising start by winning the Daytona Duel and a third-place finish at Atlanta. But since then, it’s been anything but smooth sailing for the No.23 Driver.

Just when the pressure cooker seemed ready to blow, Wallace showed up with fire in his eyes and something to prove. His slumping position is looking more solid after the Cracker Barrel 400. He broke his last month’s drought. This may be the return of the swagger as he gains his momentum back in Nashville. We know Bubba Wallace isn’t one to get overly emotional on camera, but Sunday night in Nashville was different. After climbing out of the car and sitting among the Amazon Prime post-race team, he opened up about one thing that’s changed everything for him this year.

Bubba Wallace opens up about his son’s support

Bubba Wallace has been very vocal about his son and the impact he brings. He voiced something that even Kyle Busch would relate to. “And the biggest part, it’s incredible because I wish everybody could experience it, but having a kid changes your life. It’s super cool,” he said. When asked about what helped him stay motivated throughout the year, the 23XI Racing driver credited it to his son without any hesitation. “That’s the biggest support system. He’s eight months. He doesn’t know what’s going on, but he’s excited to see me every time,” he said to the panel. But there was much more emotion than he could handle.

He got teary-eyed as Carl Edwards comforted him, saying, “Oh, buddy, man, that’s beautiful to hear a father share that. Thank you for sharing that with us. You’ve been so brave with your life and your challenges, man. Thanks for inspiring all of us. Thanks for inspiring all of us. You’ve been so brave with your life and your challenges, man.” This change that Edwards points out is a constant force in Bubba’s life now. He is no longer the haphazard, moody, flared-up Bubba Wallace the sport had seen a year ago. He is calmer and looks more composed.

Through 14 starts, Wallace has yet to find Victory Lane. With an average finish of 19.7 5DNF and zero poles, the stats haven’t exactly backed up the hype. He managed five top tens and a pair of top fives, sure—but for a driver who entered the season looking like a dark horse contender, that’s not the kind of resume that turns heads. After being stuck outside the playoff cutline, Bubba’s climb back into the top 10 in points, boosted by his Nashville 6th-place finish, has flipped the script on a season that once looked like it was slipping through his fingers.

Having qualified 12th on Saturday, it still wasn’t an easy race for the No.23 driver. Early in Sunday’s race, things looked bleak for Bubba Wallace. A pit road speeding penalty in Stage 1 dropped him a lap down and buried him in the field. But after earning the free pass, he rallied on to finish sixth in his Toyota. Clawing his way from 34th to 6th at Nashville wasn’t just a solid result—it was a much-needed confidence boost. “After the last month, yes. The month of May had made me wanna ball it up, throw it away. So, way to start off June here with a sixth-place finish. I gave it my all, trying to get Willie B there. I thought he’d give it away like he did last week, but I tried.” 

Bubba Wallace got a little cheeky while addressing his teammate, earning a ‘That’s rough,’ an ‘Oh man,’ and a ‘Bubba Wallace on fire’ from the Prime team. This race has given Bubba the confidence he was missing. It wasn’t a win. But it wasn’t just another top 10 either. And behind all of this, Wallace expresses his gratitude to his crew chief, too.

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Charles Denike’s leadership sparks Bubba Wallace’s comeback

Charles Denike, who stepped in as the No. 23’s Crew chief at the start of the season, has become a key part of the team’s push to turn things around. Before joining 23XI Racing, Denike, a former engineer officer in the United States Army, earned a solid reputation leading Christian Eckes in the truck series.

Denike’s arrival was seen as a fresh start, and Bubba has noticed differences. “You know, Charles came up to me when we made the hire, and you were pumped for me and our team for making the transition and knowing how strong he was to be a leader for our team,” he said. And that’s the truth. The man is organized, calm under pressure, and a strong leader. The duo had achieved their first scoring victory on Thursday night 60-lap duel at Daytona earlier in the season, which had earned them a third-place starting position.

23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin believes that he has found a hidden gem, comparing Charles to the crew chiefs of very successful drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson. “He [Charles Denike] just has some characteristics when you hear him talk, when you hear how he’s organized and works, that brings in, like, a Chad Knaus, Chris Gabehart, Cliff Daniels type of feel to me,” Hamlin said during the Daytona 500 media day.

With Denny’s compliment and Bubba’s trust in Charles, the team is destined to do well. Bubba Wallace also went on to explain how Charles has helped him: “After that last month, he was just telling us to keep the confidence. We know what we’re capable of. That’s what he said when the checkered flag fell tonight. Just proud of this team. We know we can do it. We just have to continue to execute and close them out.” That attitude helped Bubba rally to a sixth-place finish, his best run in weeks, proving that the team is very much in the fight. Denike’s leadership is more than just words. Bubba shared that he’s proud of the team’s resilience and ready to keep pushing forward.

Even with the ups and downs, the #23 team is finding its rhythm as the seasons move along. With Michigan coming up next week, Bubba soldiers through with great confidence, and all eyes will be on him on Sunday as he races for his spot in the playoffs.