Bubba Wallace amped up for the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway by engaging in a pre-race paintball session alongside his 23XI Racing teammate Tyler Reddick in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 3, 2025. The outing was highlighted by an Instagram post from Wallace showing both drivers geared up with paintball guns, demonstrating their competitive spirit and camaraderie ahead of the 11th Cup Series race of the season.

Heading into the Texas event, both Wallace and Reddick had identical records with four top-ten finishes and two podium appearances each during the 2025 Cup Series season. Wallace trailed Reddick by seven points in the Driver’s standings but looked to close the gap, especially after qualifying ninth-eight positions ahead of Reddick-giving him a small but meaningful advantage going into the race.

In his previous race at Talladega Superspeedway, Wallace led five laps and secured a stage win over Joey Logano, initially finishing tenth but later elevated to eighth after disqualifications of other drivers. Reddick finished six spots behind Wallace, while Austin Cindric of Team Penske took the victory. Reflecting on his performance, Wallace noted the anticipation for a big wreck that never came and congratulated the winner, showing a candid and focused mindset.

Despite entering Texas with an 89-race winless streak since his last victory in 2022 at Kansas Speedway, Wallace remains determined. He started the 2025 season strongly with a win at the Duel 2 qualifier for the Daytona 500 but suffered a setback in the season opener due to a multi-car wreck that resulted in a 29th-place finish. Meanwhile, Reddick avoided incidents and finished second in that race.

On Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Wallace openly discussed the pressure he feels competing alongside Reddick, who secured three wins in the 2024 season. He acknowledged that this pressure has motivated him to reassess and improve his approach, including increased physical training and commitment to his craft, aiming to meet both external and personal expectations.

The pre-race paintball activity served as a fun and competitive way for Wallace and Reddick to relieve tension and strengthen their team bond before the Texas race. As the Wurth 400 approached, the focus remained on both drivers to see how their performances might influence the momentum in the tightly contested 2025 Cup Series season.