Charles Denike will take over as Bubba Wallace’s crew chief in 2025

Charles Denicke, one of the brightest and most promising crew chiefs in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will move to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 and become the new crew chief for Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 23XI Racing team.

Denike, who served nine years in the U.S. Army as an engineering officer, has risen through the NASCAR ranks since joining Precision Performance Motorsports as team manager in 2012. Denike is excited to take on the challenge of the NASCAR Cup Series and become a partner. with Wallace and the 23XI Racing team, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan.

“I look forward to the 2025 season with the No. 23 team and the opportunity to work with Bubba and the entire 23XI Racing team starting in the offseason,” said Charles Denicke, newly appointed crew chief for the No. 23 team. “Bubba is a proven winner and I believe that we can bring out the best in each other. Thanks to Michael, Denny and Dave for the opportunity to join the 23XI family. They have created an incredible culture at Airspeed. I believe that winning is a process. When you join Airspeed, you see the tools and resources you need to win and are surrounded by people with the same vision and mindset. I look forward to the next chapter and the opportunity to contribute to 23XI’s growth and path to winning championships.”

Denike, who has seven wins over the past two seasons with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series, will take the reins from Bootie Barker, who has been Wallace’s crew chief since the 29th race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. Barker will remain with 23XI Racing in a different capacity as he joins the team’s leadership division in 2025.

Wallace, 31, who scored both of his NASCAR Cup Series victories with Barker in his pit box, admits he’s sad that changes will be made to the crew chief position, but he’s also excited to see what Denike brings to the table.

“Booty meant a lot to me and the No. 23 team,” Wallace said. “We’ve had some special moments together and I’m glad he will continue to be part of what we’re building at 23XI. I’m really excited to work with Charles and see what we can achieve together.”

Barker, who has been with 23XI Racing since its inception leading up to the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, is excited to remain with the team and is ready to do whatever it takes to help the organization succeed in his new role next year.

“23XI treated me well and I hope I treated 23XI just as well,” Barker said. “Loyalty is important to me and I will continue to do everything I can in my new role to help everyone here succeed. I was fortunate to be part of the creation of 23XI and look forward to being part of the team’s journey going forward.”

According to Dave Rogers, competition director for 23XI Racing, Barker was instrumental not only in the development of the No. 23 team, but also in Wallace’s development as a driver. The brains of an experienced crew chief will continue to help the crew at the Airspeed shop for years to come.

“Since joining the 23XI, Bootie has provided Bubba and the No. 23 team with the leadership and confidence they need to grow into the team they are today,” Rogers said. “As we began to look ahead to next season, we decided that Booty’s experience would best serve the organization in a different role at Airspeed. His contributions will continue to benefit our teams. We are delighted to welcome Charles to our organization and look forward to working with him later in the season. He will be a tremendous addition to the No. 23 team and the 23XI as we continue to work to improve.”

Wallace, who is winless this season and missed the playoffs this season, is hoping to end the 2024 campaign on a positive note in his final two races with Barker as team principal. Despite being stripped of the winning streak and missing the postseason, Wallace has already achieved career-best finishes with top-five (six) and top-10 (13) finishes this season. He’ll look to add to those numbers this weekend at Martinsville Speedway and at Phoenix Speedway next weekend.