r/NASCAR • u/Equivalent_Dish_1990 • 3d ago
Bubba Wallace is the best-performing driver of 2025 so far.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C5MYJwwAz/46
u/Ok-Chocolate-9500 3d ago edited 3d ago
Bubba is performing much better compared to previous years to start, and that is awesome to see. What’s also impressive is that he has a new rookie crew chief this season and has come out so strong when the relationship is so new.
But I also get the point that this is sort of a crucial time for him to perform. As someone who’s in his 8th year in Cup (5th year in solid equipment), it is about time for him to show the next step - ideally not only winning/making the playoffs but hopefully into the RO8, which he has never done.
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u/Nightmare1529 2d ago
I think part of it is the new crew chief too. It seems like the 23 team is better as a whole this year.
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u/FragrantJimmie 2d ago
Would love for bubba to solidify himself as a top 8 guy in cup. He’s been off to a great start and is starting to finish races consistently up front. Looking at past years he’s had the speed to compete but between crew chief strategy and his pit crew constantly messing up he hasn’t been able to show how good he truly is. Hopefully the pit crew keeps up the good work and they let bubba show that he’s a top 8 guy in the series
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u/UnfairLengthiness324 2d ago
I think he’s showing he’s made that step now, no? Obviously he’s got to be at or near this level for a longer period to be sure but the signs are good.
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u/candlerc 2d ago
Did he make the round of 8 on the owners side when he took over the 45 for Kurt? Honestly don’t remember.
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u/PiratesBull Chastain 3d ago
He's got a great mindset this year
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u/beaujangles727 3d ago
I agree. I think having his kid likely has helped out things in perspective and he puts less pressure on himself. Plus having MJ there in his corner can’t be a bad thing lol
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u/Zendiamond 3d ago
I think the fact that a crew chief who isn't completely useless is more important than those things off the track. Bootie is a cool guy but he loved making bad calls.
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u/yeeerrrp Ryan Blaney 2d ago
Remember when he'd beat himself up and be depressed after finishing third? Now he's happy as shit. Dad life
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u/Despacitosuarez 3d ago
Fuck it, I've seen enough. Bubba Wallace 2025 champion
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u/FuckAllNPs Bubba Wallace 3d ago
Might break the time shift we were put into after harambe got killed
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u/literalyfigurative van Gisbergen 3d ago
Question is, did Bubba figure something out or was Bootie holding him back this entire time?
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u/Fyrien 3d ago
Last year it was extremely common for the #23 to unload with top ten speed, drop back to 20th by stage 2, and spend the rest of the race clawing back to 8th-15th.
In that situation, maybe the crew chief is bad at keeping up with adjustments, or maybe the driver is bad at giving feedback... or maybe there's some other communication issue. It's hard to tell.
It's starting to look like Bootie was the weak spot there. So far with Denike, Bubba is maintaining his speed throughout the entire run. And when you run up front, you don't have to rely on questionable strategy to get stage points, like Bootie occasionally did. I wouldn't say Bootie was bad, but he's not an elite-tier crew chief.
Also, the pit crew has improved significantly. It's much easier for Bubba to run well when he's not losing 4 spots on every pit stop and having wheel issues every other race.
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u/mechanixrboring Briscoe 2d ago
Bootie is the crew chief 23XI needed to build Bubba's confidence and to be a good cheerleader for him for a couple years, but now Bubba needs someone that can help him run up front and finish up front.
I have a huge amount of respect for Bootie but seeing that car have speed and then fade to mid-pack during the race wasn't a good thing.
I'm glad he seems to be running consistently well now.
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u/literalyfigurative van Gisbergen 3d ago
You are correct having a decent pit crew is a must.
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u/JustStudyItOut Hamlin 2d ago
Pitting last year was always stressful. Never knew how many spots he would lose.
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u/Equivalent_Dish_1990 3d ago
But, but, he has no talent according to Billy Bob who claims he hasn't watched a race in over 20 years.
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u/bdcardinal Wise 3d ago
I always like how those people know more of what is going on than anyone else. But they haven’t watched since Dale died.
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u/GodlessCommie69 3d ago
Same people who think that any person of color in any position of relative power is a 'DEI hire' and unqualified, but meanwhile think that our alcoholic Secretary of Defense is qualified
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u/Hillbilly098 3d ago
I agree with you, but don't let them have the term DEI.
DEI hires ARE qualified. That's the point.
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u/GodlessCommie69 2d ago
Exactly why I put that shit in quotes, because they are qualified, and DEI came about from corporations figuring out how to make the most money possible
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u/Devitt6 3d ago
Win #3 coming any week now, with how well they’ve been running.
I hope it’s at Bristol because I’m hoping to be there, and would love to see that mayhem lol
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u/hskrnation95 2d ago
I'd rather he get another win at Kansas when I'm there
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u/38CFRM21 Bobby Labonte 3d ago
Facebook profiles with sunglasses in shambles.
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u/MadeMeLaughHaHa 3d ago
Calling him Bubbles, as if that stings. Such a 3rd grade playground bully mentality.
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u/dommmm9 Larson 3d ago
Technically he isn't. He's top 5 for sure but Larson and Byron have better overall stats
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u/MrDingus84 3d ago
The link did their ranking based on how much the driver was in the Top 3.
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u/dommmm9 Larson 3d ago
Then they should say Bubba has ran in the top 3 the most, not that he's the best performing driver because finish wise he isnt.
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u/Sportsguy1993 2d ago
I like Bubba but let's calm down a little bit, he's doing great but not better than Byron or Bell, Byron won the 500 and is the points leader and Bell won 3/7, I don't care about most laps in the top 3 and top 5 vs 500 win/points lead or 3 wins.
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2d ago
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u/Sportsguy1993 2d ago
The title of this thread is literally "Bubba Wallace is the best-performing driver of 2025 so far." how is that not an opinion? If you value running in the top 3/5 most then whatever, but it doesn't statistically make you the best performing. The stats are just data but how you prioritize them is not.
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u/SlimThugga1102 Chastain 3d ago
Can you guys just imagine the outrage from all the confederate flag folks if bubba somehow made it to final 4 and squeaked out a title LMAO
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u/MadeMeLaughHaHa 3d ago
They'd say Nascar gave it to him, or rigged it in his favor somehow. There's no logic or rational thinking among that crowd of yokels.
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u/Equivalent_Dish_1990 3d ago
Then they'll put a big spill on Facebook about how that dam cheating rice burning jap crap doesn't belong in NASCAR.
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u/RJNieder Kyle Busch 3d ago
Not trying to crap on Wallace but the Facebook page took the most random stats that no one keeps track of to make it sound like he's have the best season of anyone...he's not top-5 in wins, laps led, top-5s, top-10s, or top-20s and that's also why he's not top-5 in points...he's a top-15 talent in top-10 equipment
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u/Straight_Champion_77 3d ago
Martinsville is definitely carrying a lot of weight in this laps in the top 3 statistic. He’s doing amazing, but on no planet would I say he’s number one. I think he’s becoming a top 10 talent though. He’s getting better every year.
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u/just_shy_of_perfect 3d ago edited 3d ago
This is so dumb. It's why people dislike Bubba fans or Elliott fans. Like their driver is the hottest and best out their but neither is right now. And that's ok.
Dude has had a hot start. That's good. We have points standing for a reason. He's not the best performing driver of 2025. Based on the post hes not finishing races well.
The points leader is likely who we'd say is the best performing driver of 2025 so far. I.e. Byron
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u/Creepy_Shelter_94 3d ago
Byron? And not the guy that has already won 3 times this year?
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u/just_shy_of_perfect 3d ago
Byron? And not the guy that has already won 3 times this year?
Byron is leading Bell by 3 positions and 35 points so. Yea probably.
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u/Pummu 3d ago
This is the playoff era . Wins matter the most . Byron himself would 100% rather be in bells position
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u/ChaseTheFalcon 3d ago
The regular season title is worth a ton as well.
Plus I'm sure Byron prefers that 500 win
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u/Sportsguy1993 2d ago
15 points for the regular season champion and 7 for 4th in standings (Bell's current spot). So overall Byron has 21 playoff points if the standings stay the same and Bell would have 23. I think 2 playoff points and 2 wins is worth a 500, especially back to back 500s.
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u/Creepy_Shelter_94 3d ago
Doesn't really mean anything in this format...
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u/Just_Somewhere4444 3d ago
Bell's extra wins don't mean anything either if he wrecks on lap one twice in the first round of the playoffs.
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u/bodenator2 23h ago
I mean, he's definitely the most consistently in the top 3-5 throughout any given race, but I still can't put him ahead of a guy who's won nearly half the races this year, Bell.
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3d ago
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u/gasmask11000 3d ago
Kyle could have been in a JGR car this year but chose RCR 🤷♂️
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3d ago
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u/gasmask11000 3d ago
Kyle Busch races for RCR, not JGR.
But he could have been at JGR.
He chose to go to an underperforming car and team 🤷♂️
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3d ago
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u/gasmask11000 3d ago
Congrats on finishing 122 points behind Bubba despite Bubba get a points penalty?
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3d ago
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u/gasmask11000 3d ago
Nope, Kyle Busch already confirmed that’s not true.
He was offered a contract and left because he chose not to take a pay cut
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u/Zendiamond 3d ago
Actually HMS and Penske routinely have faster cars (Penske reliability aside) BUT what 23XI does have is a great pit crew. They have the top 3 pit crew so that makes up for the lack of long run speed when you can get out front and get all you can get on restarts.
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u/miangro 3d ago
KFB is washed
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3d ago
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u/MobiusTech 3d ago
Domes listen to this guy. He’s a gooner and talks crap about other people gooning.
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u/miangro 3d ago
That's cool. At one point, I didn't know the definition of washed up either.
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3d ago
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u/MobiusTech 3d ago
Doesn’t listen to this guy. He goons every night and then talks crap about other peoples gooning history.
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u/Hillbilly098 3d ago
If you remember him for the "noose incident", you're an illiterate dumbass.
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3d ago
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u/Hillbilly098 3d ago
He's won 2 and is only the second black driver to ever win at the top level and the only one to win multiple races. He will be remembered for that.
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3d ago
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u/Hillbilly098 3d ago
With all due respect, that opinion isn't worth a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin getting it on.
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u/Fickle-Newspaper-445 Chase Elliott 3d ago
Wake up babe, another Bubba Wallace post just dropped.