Christopher Bell Frustrated by “Sloppy” Sonoma Run Despite Top-5 Finish, Aims to Match Chase Briscoe’s Execution

Most drivers would likely be happy to finish fifth in their 200^th career NASCAR Cup start at a tricky place like Sonoma Raceway. But Christopher Bell? He’s a perfectionist.

The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s fifth-place finish in the Toyota Save/Mart 350 just wasn’t good enough for his own standards. On the one hand, Bell could have done worse: he could have wrecked out like Ryan Blaney did on Sunday, finishing 36^th in the 37-driver field.

But no, Bell still regretted how “sloppy” his race was. Or could he have been jealous at teammate Chase Briscoe, who finished second? “We probably could have easily ran second where the 19 (Briscoe) did if we execute the day a little bit better,” Bell said.

“We’re just struggling to get a little bit of momentum right now. Everything is just being really sloppy on all accounts. To walk out of here with a fifth place finish hopefully gives us a little bit of momentum and we can keep it going (and) build on it.”

Tied with Kyle Larson and Sunday’s winner, Shane van Gisbergen, for most wins this season with three each, Bell snapped the slump he had been in at the previous three races, having finished 17^th (Phoenix), 30^th(Atlanta) and 24^th (Chicago).

Bell, who is sixth in the Cup standings and 71 points behind series leader William Byron, then relented a bit on being so hard on himself.

“Yeah, I mean it’s not a bad finish,” Bell admitted. “I felt like our car performance probably was better. I don’t know, maybe we stack up fifth… (But) it’s just not good enough.”

Jealous at Briscoe and also jealous of SVG?

Bell may also have had a little jealousy at Sunday’s winner, Shane van Gisbergen. The New Zealand native has won three road course races this season, most of any driver on the circuit, and Sunday was his second straight win, having captured last week’s street race in Chicago.

“Clearly, he’s a great road course racer,” Bell said of SVG. “They clearly have hit on something that fits his style. He’s obviously an excellent driver and they’re kicking our butts. We need to get a little bit better. All of us have to do to catch up.”