It’s an open secret that most fans know that NASCAR drivers have a special relationship with their spotters. Spotters are drivers’ third eye, an eye in the sky, sort of, keeping them out of trouble and relaying them with valuable race developments. This close association often gets them closer on an individual level. A relationship that starts professionally but turns into a strong bond of friendship. As it turns out, 23XI Racing star Bubba Wallace and his friend and spotter, Freddie Kraft, have their thing going—a bond built on trust and respect.

The #23 driver even paid a fitting tribute to Kraft’s father after his passing by having his name on his #23 Toyota, showing his support to his grieving spotter. Now, that is something you don’t see every day. With the 30-year-old driver dropping to the DBC podcast, NASCAR fandom got plenty of hilarious moments, one of which was when Wallace revealed the unique relationship he has with his spotter, Kraft.

Bubba Wallace and Freddie Kraft: A relationship built on loyalty and trust

Beyond just being a representation of minorities in a long-dominated white sport, 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace has built a name for himself, creating a niche with his chirpy attitude and charismatic personality. While the fandom has divided opinion on the driver, his fans simply adore him for who he is: cheerful and full of life.

The #23 Toyota driver recently paid a visit to the Door Bumper Clear studio, joining the spotter crew of Brett Griffin, TJ Majors, and his own spotter, Freddie Kraft. And while there was a lot of chit-chat about the whole Daytona 500 race and how Bubba Wallace managed to avoid the ‘big one’ and eventually finish in the top five, there was something more exciting.

Bubba Wallace almost fired Freddie Kraft. And that too, not just once; a situation like that arose multiple times. #23 and his eagle-eyed spotter have been working together for more than a decade now, but still, there are times when the duo are at loggerheads with each other.

Citing the same during the candid chat at the DBC studio, when Casey Boat inquired Wallace if he ever felt like firing Freddie Kraft, his answer was, “I’ll text him when I think he fu*ked up or he’ll text when I fu*k up so, we have that relationship to where it aint not hard feelings like whatever. I know some of these spotters get bu**hurt quick when you yell at them so…“ And one of the main reasons is that Freddie Kraft screaming a lot.

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Beyond just being the driver-spotter duo on the track, the two know each other quite a lot and have shared plenty of emotions. One such incident occurred after the tragic passing of Tommy Kraft, Freddie Kraft’s father.

“This one is for you!” Wallace’s tribute to his spotter’s late father

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In a touching moment at Richmond Raceway back in 2023, Cup Series sensation Bubba Wallace revealed the emotional conversation he had with the late father of his spotter, Freddie Kraft, before the start of the race. The driver then paid a heartfelt tribute to Freddie’s father, Tommy Kraft, who tragically passed away from a heart attack just days before the race.

As a gesture of respect and support, Wallace and the #23 team replaced his name on the car with “Tommy Kraft” above the driver’s side door. He removed his name from above the driver’s side door and replaced it with “Tommy Kraft” using tape. Throughout the race, Wallace is emotionally connected to the tribute, and after finishing, he gets emotional again as he sees the door adorned with Tommy’s name. The driver tweeted out, sharing the kind gesture on social media with a wholesome caption, “We love you @FreddieKraft. This one is for you!”  

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