Bubba Wallace has always been an emotional driver. When things didn’t go his way, he wore his frustration openly. But in 2025, something changed. After finishing 29th at the Daytona 500, Wallace did something that shocked even his wife, Amanda. Instead of sulking, he walked into his pit road trailer with a grin. “She’s just looking at me. I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m good. We lost… Chill. We’re good… New year, new me,’” Wallace had said at Atlanta.

This was a man who used to take every setback personally. Yet here he was, smiling, unfazed by a tough race. It was a reaction unlike any he had before. His wife, stunned, realized that this wasn’t the same Bubba Wallace she had known for years. Instead of dwelling on losses, he was embracing the process. Notably, most of this mindset shift is attributed to his newborn son who has changed his perspective on life.

Now, that new mindset was on full display at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Wallace had one of the best races of his career, finishing third in the Straight Talk Wireless 400. And despite a costly mistake that cost him a shot at the win, he kept the mood light. In fact, he decided to have a little fun with his team—proving that this “new Bubba” was here to stay.

Bubba Wallace was running third on the final lap at Homestead, with no challengers behind him. The race was effectively over, and Wallace was set to secure a much-needed P3 finish, his best result of the year so far. But instead of just cruising to the checkered flag, he decided to have a little fun. Over the team radio, Wallace suddenly announced, “I think I got a tire down.” For a moment, there was complete silence.

His long-time spotter, Freddie Kraft, was caught off guard, scrambling to process what was happening. Then, Wallace immediately followed up with, “Just kidding.” Kraft, still recovering from the sudden panic, fired back with a reply X, “Oh, you F—— A—–.” Wallace, still laughing, replied, “I had to make some f—— light of my f— up.” He then switched gears, congratulating his team: “Great weekend, good job boys. Thank you. Let’s keep doing this. F— yeah! Thank you.”

This wasn’t the same Wallace fans had seen in previous years. He wasn’t dwelling on mistakes. He was embracing the positives, and fans were loving it. One fan summed it up best: “Been super proud of you guys this year. Different Bubba and I’m loving it.” The sentiments were clear that fans love this unspoken side of Wallace which never came out due to his hard taskmaster nature. Notably, the change in outlook has worked for Bubba as he almost had one of the best races of his career.

A third-place finish might not have been the ultimate goal, but Wallace had plenty to be happy about. His performance at Homestead-Miami was his strongest of the season. He led 56 laps which is highest for him in any race since his last win in September 2022. He had outpaced top drivers and held his own against Kyle Larson and Alex Bowman. Notably, He ran inside the top five for most of the day, showcasing the speed of the No. 23 Toyota.

While A late mistake cost him, Wallace didn’t see it as a failure. “I ain’t gonna hang my head over that one. My pit crew has just been on fire. A tremendous amount of work has gone in the last five years of this team to get to where we’re at. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re damn sure competitive each and every stop,” he told the broadcaster after the race. Notably, Wallace now sits seventh in the Cup Series standings, his best-ever position six races into a season.

His consistency has improved, and despite two DNFs, he’s been one of the fastest drivers on track. Now, NASCAR’s caravan moves to Martinsville, a track where Wallace has been strong. Over the last six races there, he has an average finish of 11.0, ranking 11th among active drivers. His qualifying speed has also been solid—he holds the fourth-highest average starting position (11.2) in 2025. If he can avoid mistakes, he has a real shot at another strong run.

But apart from Bubba’s on-track heroics in Homestead, the fans very much enjoyed his radio banter that had his team worried.

Fans go crazy for Bubba Wallace’s new avatar!

Bubba Wallace’s late-race joke left NASCAR fans in stitches. His ability to have fun—even after a frustrating end to the race—earned him plenty of love online. While some NASCAR fans praised him for his new approach, others attributed it to his fatherhood. “Fatherhood looks good on Bubba. Love seeing him in a good head space,” writes a fan. Notably, Bubba and his wife Amanda welcomed their son Becks Hayden Wallace in late September and since then the driver’s outlook towards the result of the races seems to have changed.

Since then, the 23XI racing driver has been vocal about changes in his life. During the season opener race at Daytona International Speedway Wallace was spotted celebrating his Duel win with his son and crew members. Becks’ arrival has surely affected Wallac’s approach to life. Meanwhile, some fans praised Wallace’s positive approach, especially after failing to win the race. “Glad to hear him still in good spirits after that one. That’s going to be the key all year! What a run,” a user wrote.

Notably, Bubba had a great pit stop on Lap 213 which pushed him ahead of Kyle Larson in the race. However, in the next 20-odd laps the 23XI driver failed to hold his position and lost the golden chance to win the race. Despite the heartbreak, Bubba kept his humour alive and fans liked it. “This new Bubba is awesome. You have gained a fan and probably many more to come,” said a fan. Another user echoed the sentiments and said, “I have to say, he has a great sense of humour!”

Interestingly, even broadcasters were fooled by Wallace’s prank. Some fans laughed at how quickly the false alarm spread. “Fox missed the ‘just kidding’ part and reported that ya did have a tire going down,” a user noted. Notably, Wallace may not have won at Homestead-Miami, but he left a lasting impression. His newfound confidence, humour, and strong performance have made him a fan favourite. If he keeps this up, his next trip to Victory Lane might be right around the corner.