Bubba Wallace takes issue with ‘average car’ in Clash debut with new crew chief Charles Denike

The 2025 season has officially kicked off. For Bubba Wallace and new crew chief Charles Denike, it was a solid first outing together. A P5 finish at Bowman Gray for the NASCAR Clash isn’t a bad way to start out as a rookie crew chief.

There wasn’t any eye-catching moment from Bubba Wallace this weekend. He came in and handled his business. An old-school short track, the Madhouse exposes drivers. Wallace was more or less able to hold his own.

After the race, Wallace noted that there do need to be improvements. It’s something that he knows Charles Denike agrees with – they only had an average car. Moving forward that is something that this duo wants to clean up. Preferably before Daytona.

“Yeah, I think it’s a great way to start off the year and our relationship,” Bubba Wallace said in his media availability. “Since the first day I met Charles, he’s been super just on it and willing to just bust his ass to figure out where we need to be better. He’s not afraid of telling you like, I need to do this. I’m not afraid to tell him the same thing.

“We have a lot to dissect after tonight’s race. I think we agree we were just an average car. That’s not okay with either of us. we got to regroup and refocus. Luckily the next short track is a little bit out. But all in all the communication side of it, we were texting last night at midnight after we shut down here, just asked him, ‘How did your first day go?’ He said, ‘I thought everything went status quo.’ I agreed”

Of course, the big race is in two weeks.

“There’s some things that could be better as always, but I think the first start to our race is really good. I asked him before the race sitting over here in the pits, ‘Are you nervous?’ He’s like, ‘No, not yet. Ask me when we go to Daytona.’ He probably will be.”

During the last few seasons, Bubba Wallace hasn’t been able to get over that next level. Having Charles Denike replace Bootie Barker is supposed to help with that. So far, so good.

Next on the schedule is Daytona. That will be Denike’s first real test as a crew chief. Then it’s non-stop NASCAR action for 36 weeks. So, if Denike isn’t comfortable yet, he has plenty of time to get comfortable.