Bootie Barker reacts to 'surprise,' emotions of moving on from being Bubba Wallace's crew chief

Before the end of the 2024 NASCAR season, it was announced that Bootie Barker would not return as Bubba Wallace’s crew chief. The 23XI Racing crew chief will now move into a different competition role with the organization.

Bootie Barker became crew chief for Bubba Wallace in September 2021. Mike Wheeler was promoted at the time and Barker finished out the 2021 season, culminating in that YellaWood 500 victory at Talladega.

Last week, Barker went on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to talk about the change. He was taken back by it but he does not sound hurt by the decision from the organization to move him off the pit box.

“I won’t lie it was a surprise. It was a surprise,” Barker said. “I will say this, I talked to Bubba before … as a crew chief, let’s just speak in generalities right now – rarely, does the crew chief get to set his own timetable or decide how he’s going to go out. It just doesn’t work that way. It’s just how it is.”

During his explanation, he talked about how even Richard Petty and Dale Inman didn’t stay together their whole careers. He isn’t comparing himself and Bubba to those two, but his point stands. Drivers and crew chiefs move on.

Bubba Wallace and Bootie Barker earned two Cup Series wins together. This season they went winless and missed the playoffs.

Barker surprised with how team performed in 2024

Despite missing the playoffs, this was a career-best season for Wallace in many ways. He had more top-10s and top-5s than ever before. That also added up to his best average finish ever in a Cup season. Still, Barker was replaced with Charles Denike.

“It just doesn’t, usually if a crew chief, you don’t, it’s just part of the game. It’s what to be expected,” Barker continued. “And I even called the shot I said it’ll happen sooner or later with Bubba and I to Bubba you know, but it surprised me. Because like I said the team how close we were as far as getting into the playoffs and you know, what I thought we could keep doing.

So, I wasn’t necessarily ready for it. And I criticize myself for that somewhat because usually, I have enough – I think one of the reasons I’m still doing it is because I have enough sense to see how things are going or to, I always say, which way is the wind blowing? So I can be prepared for things. Took me a bit to get my head around it, I won’t lie.”

While there were improvements, things have to get better, more consistent. Bubba Wallace should be making the playoffs. In his car he should be winning a race each year. When Tyler Reddick won the regular season championship, I think it put pressure on Bubba. Now he has to go out and perform at an even higher level.