Last year, when Joe Gibbs finally consented to let his JGR drivers compete outside of NASCAR, it came as a welcome shock to fans and drivers alike, including Christopher Bell. The decision allowed him to participate in the dirt and midget series last off-season after three years, where he competed with hunger. Nonetheless, Bell has recently expressed that he remains cautious about balancing his commitments, ensuring his ventures into other racing forms do not jeopardize his performance in the Cup Series.
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During his latest feature on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s podcast, when Junior inquired about what it means to him to race on dirt tracks with Joe Gibbs’ blessing, the #20 driver expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am just so incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to go run some sprint cars, some midget cars. And I really look forward to getting back on the dirt.”
Sharing his off-season dirt track racing experiences, Bell emphasized how much he relished these opportunities, yet he noted, “I’m going to try and be really respectful and make sure that I don’t take anything away from my responsibilities as a Nascar Cup Series driver for the No. 20 car at Joe Gibbs Racing.”
He also shared that while he doesn’t intend to set a fixed schedule for races outside of NASCAR, he is committed to competing in the Las Vegas High-Limit race and will selectively participate in some midweek events that do not clash with his Cup Series commitments.
Regarding whether his forays into dirt series racing have benefited his performance in the Cup Series, Bell noted that since Cup drivers have limited practice time on the track and rarely face scenarios requiring split-second decision-making during these restricted practice sessions, dirt racing has sharpened his ability to make quick decisions under pressure.
Bell believes that the more you race, the better you become. However, he acknowledged that given the high level of competition in the Cup Series today, racing in another series does not consistently provide a competitive edge over the Cup Series drivers.
Bell’s crew chief addresses if dirt racing stints have helped the #20 get better at Cup racing
Following his initial victory of the season at Atlanta — and subsequently at COTA — his crew chief, Adam Stevens, acknowledged the impact of Bell’s offseason racing on his preparedness for the Cup Series. Stevens emphasized the importance of Bell’s engagement in races outside his primary commitments.
Drawing a parallel to golf, Stevens explained that a golfer cannot expect to excel without regular practice. Similarly, for Bell or any race car driver, staying competitive means continuously racing.
He remarked, “For him to compete and stay sharp, he has to be on a racetrack racing. There is some risking that comes with that, but it’s to our benefit. It’s not only to our risk.”
Stevens also highlighted that Bell’s life revolves almost exclusively around racing — he thrives on driving, working on, and watching race cars. Therefore, curtailing his involvement in what he passionately loves would have been counterproductive.
