“I just hold the steering wheel and make the right moves,” Logano confessed, emphasizing just how important his spotter was to him. Take his 2018 Talladega victory and you start to see just what T.J. Majors brings to the take. In NASCAR, spotters play a crucial role in guiding drivers through high-speed battles, often making split-second decisions that can be the difference between victory and defeat.  However, despite all the preparation, experience, and data, not every decision leads to success. Mistakes happen—even the most seasoned spotters can have off moments. And that’s exactly what happened during the 2025 Daytona 500.

Freddie Kraft, Bubba Wallace’s spotter, took responsibility for not making the correct calls, which eventually resulted in Wallace’s fall from the top five in the final few laps of the race.

Freddie Kraft takes the blame for the blunder that cost Bubba Wallace the Daytona 500

In a recent episode of Door Bumper Clear, Freddie Kraft didn’t hold back when reflecting on his performance as Bubba Wallace’s spotter during the 2025 Daytona 500. Kraft took full responsibility for a crucial late-race miscalculation, with a simple verdict, ” I pretty much f—-ed up from there. I talked about it with Bubba last night. “, admitting that his strategic call in the final laps ultimately cost Wallace a shot at victory.

Wallace had already set high expectations for the Daytona 500. Living up to the promise, he managed to be a frontrunner throughout the race, starting third and consistently running inside the top positions. His momentum from Duel 1, where he secured an impressive win, carried into the main event. As the race entered its closing stages, Wallace was right where he needed to be—near the front, ready to capitalize on any late-race opportunities. When the chance came for Kraft to make a call, he went with the decision of going with the strategy that won them the Duel, sticking to the middle lane.

He explained, “We got clear of the Pensky cars on the bottom and I felt like I should have covered it, by cover I mean I just told Bubba to pull down in front of them and just stay with them. I didn’t because we won the duel from the middle lane and I was like, ‘Ehh, I think the middle lane is going to be fine, it’s two Hendrick cars up there and it wasn’t.’ And then I covered the top lane when I shouldn’t have covered the top lane and hung some of our Toyota teammates. 

Instead, the focus remained on fighting off Chase Elliott and William Byron, who were close behind. However, as even Kyle Busch attested, the Penske cars were clearly the ones to beat. They had three drivers in the top 10, and Logano, who was in 7th place kept closing in on the leaders. In the end, it was Wallace’s undoing, as with 34 laps left, fans saw him fall back in the race as cars went up his inside. Adding on to his misfortune later was the Stenhouse Jr.-Logano wreck that disrupted his momentum. All of it is because of a simple oversight.

Wallace ultimately finished outside contention, leaving him and his team frustrated over what could have been. While spotters are instrumental in shaping race outcomes, even the best can miscalculate under pressure. Kraft’s candid admission highlights the razor-thin margins in NASCAR. It is a place where a single decision can mean the difference between victory and heartbreak.

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Can Bubba Wallace rebound at the Ambetter Health 400?

With the Daytona 500 behind him, Bubba Wallace now shifts focus to the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23. Atlanta’s reconfiguration in 2022 has turned it into a drafting-style track. It is now similar to Daytona and Talladega. This makes it the perfect opportunity for Wallace to showcase his superspeedway skills and bounce back from his Daytona setback.

Since February 2022, Wallace has competed in six races at Atlanta, averaging an 18.8 finish. However, his 2024 performance showed promise—he secured a strong fifth-place finish, leading three laps along the way. Given his ability to navigate the draft and execute late-race moves, he could be a contender once again if the strategy plays in his favor.

Following the Daytona misfortune, Wallace kept his head up, understanding the potential the Great American Race showed for the 2025 season. He said, “All in all, I never really finished a race here unless it was 40 laps down, so I’ll take second. We wanted to get a good start to the year, and we scored a lot of points today. So, I’m really happy with everyone’s effort on this No. 45 Nasty Beast Toyota Camry.”

The question now is whether Wallace and his team can capitalize on past success. Moreover, can they avoid the mistakes that cost them at Daytona? With the right calls from Kraft and a bit of racing luck, can Wallace turn his solid track record at Atlanta into a much-needed victory?