“This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen”: Bubba Wallace’s spotter makes candid offseason admission at college football game

Bubba Wallace spotter, Freddie Kraft, has shown support to the Notre Dame college football team during the NASCAR off-season. Kraft shared on X (formerly Twitter) a pre-game photo of the playing field, saying it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Kraft has been working with Wallace for over a decade as a spotter. His off-season came early after he was suspended following NASCAR accusing the No. 23 team of race manipulation at Martinsville Speedway. Kraft and ex-No. 23 crew chief Bootie Barker were banned at the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

One of Freddie Kraft’s off-season plans was to attend the Notre Dame Fighting Irish game against the Virginia Cavaliers, which he shared on social media. He wrote:

“This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen.”

He added:

“LETS GO IRISH.”

Kraft’s wife, Megan, was also in attendance at the Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana.

At the conclusion of the football game, Notre Dame defeated Virginia 35-14 after holding a 35-0 lead. The win gave the team its eighth straight victory and is now 9-1 in the standings, keeping its postseason hopes alive for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff bracket.

Bubba Wallace and Freddie Kraft work for the No. 23 team at 23XI Racing - Source: Imagn

Freddie Kraft, meanwhile, will be back in action in February 2025 for the NASCAR Cup Series season-opener at Daytona 500. 23XI Racing recently confirmed it will compete as an open team for next year. The Mooresville-based outfit will still field Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 Toyota Camry and Tyler Reddick in the No. 45 car.

---

Bubba Wallace reacted to the No. 23 team crew chief and spotter suspension at Phoenix

Bubba Wallace expressed frustration over NASCAR’s decision to suspend his crew chief, Bootie Barker, and spotter, Freddie Kraft, in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Wallace said he didn’t get a chance to compete alongside Barker for the last time as a new crew chief would replace him next year.

Speaking with veteran NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass, Bubba Wallace said:

"I hate that Bootie’s last race with the 23 group has to be tarnished by (the penalty). 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."

He added:

"So it's been, it's been a frustrating week, but it goes on. Time doesn't wait for you. Schedule keeps going. So we're here.”

Aside from the suspension, NASCAR also fined Bubba Wallace and the 23XI Racing team $100,000 each and docked 50 points each in their respective categories. Chevrolet drivers Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain also received the same penalties for the alleged race manipulation at Martinsville Speedway.

For the upcoming season, Wallace will work with new crew chief Charles Denike, though Bootie Barker will still work with 23XI Racing in a different role.