Before the Daytona 500, Denny Hamlin had given an ultimatum to his 23XI Racing racer. He didn’t mince words about Bubba Wallace’s struggles. “oh my gosh, we’ve got to get more points — if we would have started that process earlier, we wouldn’t have been in a panic. I think it is for Bubba that every race is very important.” Hamlin’s been in Wallace’s shoes, battling bad luck and pushing for consistency. He sees potential in Wallace but knows the clock’s ticking. Wallace did show some signs of improvement at the start of the season.

The #23 Toyota won the Duel at Daytona, led laps at the Daytona 500, and secured a top-10 finish in Atlanta. After that, Wallace led laps at the Circuit of The Americas as well. But with three finishes outside the top 15 in four races, Wallace’s early season struggles have continued. At the Shriner’s Children 500 at Phoenix Raceway, Wallace, yet again, encountered an unfortunate situation that led to another DNF.

Bubba Wallace’s frustration for 2025 isn’t ending

Phoenix Raceway was supposed to be a turning point for Wallace and his team. After a shaky start to the 2025 NASCAR season, Wallace finally saw a glimmer of hope during Sunday’s race. He cracked the top 10, ready to make something of it. But in a split second, his hopes and his brakes blew apart. A devastating end to his day, leaving fans and Wallace himself gutted.

The incident happened late in the race. Wallace described it in his post-race interview with Jamie Little “Brakes blew out, unfortunate. Didn’t have any sign leading up to that last restart that we had. I just noticed about lap 3 or 4. My pedal just traveled further and it had just by a little bit. Turned on my fans, came back, and that was it.” Video footage showed his car slamming into the wall, a brutal end to what could’ve been a breakout moment.

Wallace’s frustration was undeniable, but he kept his cool. “It’s a bummer. We didn’t have the best of start or the best of mid-race for our Leidos team. But I feel like we finally got our big break and cracked in there in the top 10. I was going to make something of it, trying to survive. It just got ripped out from underneath us.” This pretty much sums up his season so far. After a tough 2024, Wallace and his team needed a strong start in 2025. Phoenix could’ve been it. Instead, it’s another ‘what if.’

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson was banking on tire strategies, option tires, and bold moves, and it paid off for him as he finished third. But for Wallace, strategy didn’t matter as his brakes decided his fate. A mechanical gut punch that left him with no chance to fight back. Wallace needs to keep in mind he isn’t the first victim to it.

Legendary Jimmie Johnson had similar issues in his 2000 Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International. During the 46th lap, his N0.92 car had mechanical brake failure, and he got slammed into the wall at more than 150mph. But he survived. Even the triumphant champion, Christopher Bell, faced this. The right-front brake rotor exploded on his No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD and broke his championship ambitions back in 2023 as he crashed out of Championship 4.

Wallace is tired of surviving. He wants to win. He would want to put this in the rear-view mirror and bring his A-game to the remainder of 2025 season.

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Bubba Wallace shows improvement despite failures

After a tough 2024, with Bubba Wallace going winless for the second year running, 23XI Racing needed a change. Team executive Steve Lauletta found Denike after a late-night search and convinced him to leave his Truck Series job. The move paid off fast with Wallace finishing fifth at The Clash on February 2 and winning his Duel at Daytona on February 13.

Denike replaced Bootie Barker, who shifted to an executive role after last season. Lauletta didn’t know much about Truck Series crew chiefs but liked Denike’s record. In five years with GMS Racing and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, he had success with driver Christian Eckes. Denike hesitated at first, but Lauletta pushed hard. “I’m persistent. It’s just my nature,” he said. The two clicked right away.

Wallace struggled last year while teammate Tyler Reddick won the regular-season title and made the Championship 4. However, Denike’s fresh approach has delivered. Wallace said after Daytona, “Our Camry was really fast,” thanking Reddick for drafting help. Denny Hamlin sees big potential in Denike, calling him a “future superstar crew chief.” Despite having no Cup Series experience, Denike has Wallace and the team slowly progressing.

Now, with Denike calling the shots and Wallace energized, 23XI Racing looks poised for a competitive season. They want consistency and a win. So far, Denike’s leadership has Wallace off to an inconsistent start. But the season is still young, and the signs look good. What do you think? Can Bubba Wllace end his miseries and finally pick up a Cup Series win this year? Let us know in the comments!