Christopher Bell’s calm and content approach has often led him to be tagged as underrated since he isn’t one to toot his own horn. His quiet strength almost saw him reach the final four for the third time in his five-year NASCAR Cup career, if not for his disqualification.
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Yet, with his consistent and reserved nature, he’s likely getting ready to deliver his best performance in the final race and end the season on a high note.
Unlike peers like Chase Elliott or Ryan Blaney, Bell didn’t inherit a racing legacy. Instead, his father was a basketball coach at Community Christian School in Norman.
Bell’s introduction to racing came from watching Daniel Orr compete at the I-44 tracks. Orr’s involvement in racing opened the door for 29 year old driver, who started frequenting the track as a toddler around the age of three or four.
Starting with micro sprints at I-44 Riverside Speedway at just 6 or 7 years old, Bell never imagined he would ascend to the NASCAR Cup Series. During a recent interview at Martinsville, Bell shared the mindset that likely propelled him to the pinnacle of NASCAR racing.
He reflected, “It’s tough as the path to get here (NASCAR Cup Series) is so unclear as a kid in my shoes, growing up dirt racing, and the thing that’s just so hard to fathom… I never thought it was a possibility. I never really saw the pathway to Cup. It was hard for me to envision that, even when I was in the Xfinity (Series).”
Bell further added, “Because, at the time, JGR had Erik Jones in the 20 car, and younger veterans with Denny, Carl, and Kyle Busch. So, I was always content with what I was doing and I never really tried to make it to the next level, just tried to execute what I could where I was at in my career.”
“Fortunately, those results brought other opportunities from that, but I was never looking forward, just trying to do the best I could do in the situation I was in,”
Bell is ready for a strong finish at the final race in Phoenix
After just missing the Championship 4, Bell is currently fifth in points and is looking to end the season positively. He has had one of the best years in the NASCAR Cup Series with three wins and more top finishes than ever before. As the most recent victor at Phoenix, he will be heading into the race with confidence, eager to claim another win on the track he knows well.
However, Bell remains pragmatic about his past success, recognizing that a previous win doesn’t necessarily predict future outcomes.
He explained, “Every race is a new race, and just because you won this race in the spring does not guarantee results by any means and it does not mean that you’re the favorite or whatever.”
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also mentioned that the #20 team, sponsored by Interstate Batteries and DeWalt, is fully committed to giving it their all this weekend at Phoenix, aiming to cap the year with another achievement.
