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Denny Hamlin: Bubba Wallace, 23 team just 'get better and better'

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•03/24/25•

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Bubba Wallace (14)
Mar 2, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) walks out onto the stage for driver introductions before the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Harms-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin was impressed with what he saw from Bubba Wallace and the 23 team at the NASCAR Cup Series Homestead race on Sunday. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin reacted to Wallace earning a P3 finish at the race.

“The 23 team deserves a shot out as well,” Denny Hamlin said. “Bubba’s performance throughout the day, they continue to just get better and better like we’ve been saying for the last few years. Between Charles [Denike] leading that team and Bubba, they’ve just really stepped up this year and are running great.”

Bubba Wallace looked as if he was going to win his first race since the 2023 season. But Alex Bowman and race winner Kyle Larson had two much speed towards the end of the, leading to Wallace finishing third. However, the 31-year-old had his best finish of the year, and the performance helped him place in the top 10 in Cup points.

Bubba Wallace reacts to P3 finish at Homestead

After the Homestead race, Wallace spoke to FOX Sports about his finish. “It was really good,” Wallace told Jamie Little of FOX Sports. “We showed up here in Miami and had speed. That’s the first box you want to check. We all know when you’re a racecar driver you want to show up and be competitive and we were that. We fired off the race just OK and it really made me think our balance was similar to what we’ve had the past two years and we’ve just been average. So, I was just praying for track position.

“My pit crew has just been on fire. Tremendous amount of work has gone in the last five years of this team to get to where we’re at. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re damn sure competitive each and every stop. They got us up there and gave me a shot, and our Columbia Toyota Camry was just game-changer.”

It was a strong performance from Bubba Wallace as he led a season-high 56 laps. It was the second-most of the race, as Ryan Blaney led 124 laps before suffering issues with his engine.

“All in all, hats off to my 23 group here. It’s been a grind all year long,” Wallace said. “I’m talking like we’re 20 races in. It’s only five, whatever it is. We’ve just been getting kicked in the teeth the last stage of every race. Finally closed one out. This feels good.”