Bubba Wallace hits back at disrespectful fan who showed his middle finger to the 23XI Racing driver

Bubba Wallace shared a strong message reacting to the picture of a fan flipping him off during the running of the pre-season NASCAR Clash. The main event is scheduled for February 2 at 8 pm EST.

NASCAR is prepared to get back on the track for the first time in 2025 as the pre-season Clash at the Bowman Gray is under preparation. All 39 drivers will be entering the race, however, the track is too short for them to race at once so different qualifying criteria will be used in the race to battle for the 23 spots.

As the sessions proceeded on the track, a picture was shared on social media where a fan could be seen flipping off the #23 Toyota pacing on the field. The car is piloted by 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace. Matthew Dillner shared the photo on his X account, to which Wallace replied.

"I’m gonna guess more fingers than teeth on that cat😘," he wrote.

Wallace has been racing for 23XI since the 2021 season. Prior to that, he spent three full-time seasons at Richard Petty Motorsports. The team is set to witness quite a few changes heading into 2025.

Wallace's long-time crew chief Bootie Barker stepped down from his role and Charles Denike is set to replace him. Furthermore, the team is expanding from a two-car operation to fielding three full-time cars after purchasing a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. All of this, amidst being engaged in an anti-trust lawsuit with Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR.

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Bubba Wallace on working with Charles Denike in 2025

While this role is not new for Denike, who has an impressive record in the Craftsman Truck Series, the Cup Series will certainly be a new turf for him to get acquainted on. Despite his experience in racing, Bubba Wallace realizes that switching from the Truck to the Cup Series could be a major transition. However, he is confident about working with Denike.

"I got to meet Charles last year for the first time… He’s like super smart, he’s come from a military background. So he’s just very punctual, very set. It’s a massive jump. I think that the more time we spend around each other… And I’m excited… I want to let his wife and kids know that this is a massive commitment," Wallace said.

Wallace also reflected on his goals for the 2025 Cup Series season with 23XI Racing.

"I wanna win races, but also I just wanna have fun. The first encounter I had, I probably reiterated to him 23 times about how much fun I wanted to have," he said.

Bubba Wallace had a competitive season last year. Despite finishing in the top five multiple times, however, he remained short of a victory. His last hope to qualify for the playoffs was solely based on points, but he couldn't score enough to get into the top 16.