Bootie Barker could not hide ‘shock’ after – Sports News
Bootie Barker opened up on his shock after Bubba Wallace ended their NASCAR partnership, admitting the choice caught him off guard.
Barker and Wallace secured one victory and recorded 33 top-10 finishes during their partnership, reaching the playoffs as soon as throughout their three seasons collectively.
23XI Racing introduced in October 2024 that Barker would transition into a totally different position within the organisation, with Truck Series determine Charles Denike set to take over as Wallace’s crew chief for the 2025 season. While Barker understood the reasoning behind the change, he admitted the choice nonetheless got here as a shock.
“It was a surprise,” Barker instructed SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on the time. “I think … I’ll say this … I talked to Bubba and … 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.”
Barker was unable to function Wallace’s crew chief for his or her last race collectively. NASCAR penalized Wallace and his workforce after they have been discovered to have slowed on the ultimate lap, permitting fellow Toyota driver Christopher Bell to overhaul and briefly declare the ultimate Championship 4 spot.
23XI Racing was hit with a $100,000 superb and a 50-point penalty, whereas Wallace obtained the identical factors deduction. Barker together with spotter Freddie Kraft and workforce government Dave Rogers have been additionally suspended for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
“I hate that Bootie’s last race with the 23 group has to be tarnished by (the penalty),” stated Wallace. “Bootie has meant a lot to me in the short amount of time I’ve gotten to be with him the last three years. He’s become one of my best friends and I told him that when we made the decision to go a different direction.”
After 23XI Racing introduced Corey Heim as its development driver on a multi-year deal in February 2025, Barker was named crew chief of the workforce’s No. 67 car for Heim’s marketing campaign.
Barker rapidly made an impression, securing his third profession Cup Series win as a crew chief in 2026 when Heim claimed his maiden Cup Series victory within the Anduril 250 at Qualcomm Circuit on Naval Base Coronado. The duo continued their robust type the next month, successful the Brickyard 400 collectively.
“He believes me, and I do believe in him,” Barker stated about his pep discuss. “I don’t do that often. I didn’t do much. I wanted to make sure he knew, ‘I’m the baddest boy here.’”
Heim has been competing on a part-time foundation however is set to make the step up to a full-time Cup Series position with 23XI Racing in 2027. The 24-year-old’s Brickyard 400 triumph marked his second victory in simply six races, following his breakthrough win on the Coronado Street Course in San Diego on June 21. The spectacular run has additional cemented Heim’s standing as one of NASCAR’s brightest younger skills forward of his first full Cup Series marketing campaign.
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