Coming up next on the NASCAR show is an enthralling race of 367 laps around the 1.366-mile Darlington Raceway. The 2025 Southern 500 is the first race of this Cup Series season’s playoffs. This positioning makes it a more crucial event than it usually is.
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Each of the 16 drivers in the contest for the championship will want to woo the Lady in Black. But they had better know that the job won’t be easy. Christopher Bell, the No. 21 driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, certainly does.
Bell has qualified for the playoffs with three wins and a plethora of other impressive results. In a recent interview with WIS News 10, he was asked what he loved about racing at Darlington and what he did not. His answer reflected the untameable beast that the track is.
Answering the first part of the question, he mentioned that he loved the challenge that it presented. With a super slippery surface, Darlington makes it really hard for drivers to complete laps. The tires lose grip very quickly, and the cars have to be driven up close to the wall to maximise grip around the corners. It tests the car control of drivers to a great extent, and Bell just adores this aspect.
But what deserves more attention is his response to the second part. He went, “What I hate about Darlington Raceway is how hot and demanding and physical it is. It’s a grueling event.
“I guess it’s more of a love-hate. I hate it because it’s hard to do, but I also love it because it separates the men from the boys. You’re not going to fake your way around a Southern 500 victory.”
Racing 501 miles around the raceway is a tough and tiring task. This test of endurance makes sure that only the best survive. So, has Bell ever come out on top at Darlington Raceway?
Unfortunately, no. His best finish in the Southern 500 is third place. He has not won the crown jewel event nor the summer race at the track. Hopefully, he will begin his tally this weekend.
Giving him reason to be optimistic about the same is his average finish rate at the track since February 2022. Across seven races, he has an average of 9.6. This is second only to Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron.
It is apparent from this that Bell just needs to figure out a way to execute his speed throughout the event and make his Toyota Camry last longer.
