Christopher Bell, who cut his teeth on micro sprints, has swiftly ascended to become one of the most dependable drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. Despite being a relatively fresh face in the series, with just five years under his belt, Bell has already made two appearances in the Championship 4, finishing third and fourth in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
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Now, as the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver, he’s currently third in the standings, and alongside William Byron, he holds a significant advantage — the highest of any driver with a cushion of 29 points.
Following a P4 finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway, during the post-race interview, Bell was asked about his early passion for the sport and whether he always knew NASCAR was his calling. He responded,
“Yeah, I mean, 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 is that’s just so hard to fathom… how many racers in the United States want one of those 38 rides, so just the number is so small and to get yourself into this position is so hard, so, you know, for me, I never thought it was a possibility.”
Considering his background in Sprint racing, where he clinched victories in 26 dirt races, including wins at the Turkey Night Grand Prix in a single year 2014 and then winning the Chilli Bowl Nationals in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the #20 driver confessed that he hadn’t initially envisioned a career in NASCAR Cup or Xfinity series.
This perspective was largely influenced by the lineup at Joe Gibbs Racing during that era, featuring rising stars like Erik Jones in the #20 car and established veterans such as Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, and Kyle Busch.
He mused, “‘How am I ever going to get in one of those seats? Those guys are young, Erik’s going to be there forever.'” Content in his lane, Bell was focused on excelling at his current level.
He openly admitted that advancing to the next level wasn’t on his agenda; his goal was simply to excel in his current role. He just focused on doing his best wherever he was at that point in his career. The approach paid off, as his successes on the track eventually opened new doors for him, though he never actively sought them out.
In the current season, Bell has continued to impress, participating in 35 races with 3 wins, 15 top-5 finishes, and 23 top-10 finishes, boasting an average finish of 12.45 and leading 1003 laps.
Previewing Bell at Martinsville Speedway
Bell is ready to take the lead in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on November 3, currently topping the points table. Although he hasn’t yet secured his place in the Championship 4, he’s widely viewed as a strong candidate to break into the top four.
His track record at Martinsville shows an average finish of 16.2 over nine starts, with a victory in 2022 where he surged from a starting position of P20 to win.
However, his performance in the Spring race at this venue saw a setback, as he ended up at P35 after again starting from P20. As Bell gears up for this crucial race, all eyes will be on whether he can replicate his past success and cement his spot in the Championship 4.
