Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day everyone! Racing is starting to return as January begins to wane. Kyle Larson picked up the win in the Chili Bowl on Saturday. The Rolex 24 is set to kick off at the end of the week. Soon after, NASCAR will return with The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. As for today, there are 23 Days to Daytona left, which is fitting as the 23XI Racing #23 team will be featured.
The #23 Team

Driver: Bubba Wallace
Crew Chief: Charles Denike
Sponsors: McDonald’s, Columbia, US Air Force, Leidos, Dr. Pepper, Door Dash
2024 Statistics: 6 Top-5s, 14 Top-10s, 1 Pole, 139 Laps Led, 15.3 Average Finish
2025 Season Preview

Career Year Falls Flat
Reviewing the 2024 season, initially it looks to be chalked up as a disappointing season. Bubba Wallace failed to make the playoffs again while his teammate won the regular season title and advanced to the Championship Four. In Wallace’s 4 seasons with 23XI Racing, he has only made the playoffs once. With that said, 2024 saw Wallace hit career bests in almost every statistical category. Of course, progression should be expected to continue. Yet, a career year for Wallace resulted in no wins, missing the playoffs, and a crew chief swap for 2025.
New Voice in the Headset
Since the final 8 races of the 2021 season, Bootie Barker had been Bubba Wallace’s crew chief. Together, the pair picked up Wallace’s first 2 Cup wins as well as a playoff birth in 2023. However, the overall success lacked what 23XI was looking for out of Wallace. For the 2025 season, in steps Charles Denike. Denike is coming off two tremendous seasons with Christian Eckes in the Craftsman Truck Series. Outside of the usual questions about chemistry between driver and crew chief, this season will be Denike’s first outside the Craftsman Truck Series. Will the rookie crew chief be able to elevate Wallace’s performance?
Must Win Season
2025 is a must-win season for Bubba Wallace. Honestly, it is a must-win regular season for Wallace and the 23 team. Both of Wallace’s Cup wins have come after the playoffs have started. For his Talladega win, that did not come with any playoff implications. Kurt Busch and Tyler Reddick have demonstrated what this equipment is capable of. Rattling off 2-3 wins should be feasible for the 23 team. If not, then there could be some uncomfortable conversations to be had heading into 2026, especially if Riley Herbst exceeds expectations.
Daytona 500 Outlook

The Daytona 500 has been a race where Bubba Wallace has come close to winning. In his first 500 start, Wallace narrowly missed out on bringing the iconic 43 car back to victory lane. Fast forward to 2022 and Wallace finished second again in a tense final lap. Last year, Wallace picked up his third Top-5 in the Great American Race. While Wallace is a well-regarded superspeedway racer, Daytona seems to be his great calling.
As mentioned in previous Days to Daytona articles, the Toyotas could be having a bit of superspeedway renaissance at Daytona. Not only did they sweep the duels last year, but this year’s field could be stacked with quality TRD cars. Barring any legal issues, 23XI Racing will have a third entry in the 500 as well. With the additional support, will that be enough to push Bubba Wallace to his first Daytona 500 win? Maybe he can find some help from his good friend Ryan Blaney. Either way, Wallace will certainly be one to keep an eye on during Speedweeks.
Days to Daytona Countdown
40 Days: Team Penske #22; 39 Days: Team Penske #12; 38 Days: Hendrick #24;
37 Days: 23XI Racing #45; 36 Days: Joe Gibbs Racing #20;
35 Days: Hendrick Motorsports #5; 34 Days: Hendrick Motorsports #9
33 Days: Joe Gibbs Racing #11, 32 Days: Henrick Motorsports #48;
31 Days: Joe Gibbs Racing #19; 30 Days: Team Penske #2;
29 Days: Trackhouse Racing #99; 28 Days: RFK Racing #6;
27 Days: Trackhouse Racing #88; 26 Days: Joe Gibbs Racing #54;
25 Days: Wood Brothers Racing #21; 24 Days: RFK Racing #17