23XI Racing has made some personnel changes ahead of its expansion for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, which are effective immediately.

23XI Racing recently confirmed the rumor that they will develop into a two-car effort in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, naming Kurt Busch the driver of the No.45 Toyota alongside Bubba Wallace, who drives. already the Toyota n ° 23.

To prepare for this expansion next year, the team has made changes that will take effect before the end of their first season of operation.

Veteran crew chief Mike Wheeler is expected to be replaced by Robert “Bootie” Barker at the top of the stand as crew chief for Wallace and Team # 23.

Wheeler is now on the cusp of becoming the team’s full-time competition director.

Barker himself is a veteran team manager with 481 Cup Series experience at the top of the pit, and he had previously been an employee of the freshman team owned by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin and the NBA legend Michael Jordan. He was most recently Team Manager of the 2017 Cup Series for Ty Dillon at Germain Racing.

Wallace and Team # 23 did not advance to the playoffs and sit 22nd in the Championship standings with eight of 36 races remaining on the 2021 calendar.

The 27-year-old Mobile, Ala. Native has recorded two top 10 finishes, both top five, in 28 races this year. His average score is a career-high 19.7, and he led a career-high 57 laps, nearly tripling his career lap total from 34 to 91.

He finished fifth at Pocono Raceway and saw a third place become his career best second at Daytona International Speedway following a post-race disqualification for original second finisher Chris Buescher.