NASCAR’s official X (formerly Twitter) account recently urged fans of the sport to come up with drivers who they think are underrated as compared to their actual abilities on the track. The fraternity came together to voice Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell as the most underrated competitor in the series along with names such as Parker Kligerman and Josh Berry also being mentioned.
Advertisement
“@CBellRacing is the only correct answer,” opined one fan, displaying his affinity for the #20 Toyota Camry driver. “Christopher Bell,” quipped another. “C bell all day,” the underlying sentiment was evident as fans poured in for the 30-year-old.
CBell
— James Bradley (@jayelbrad) December 28, 2024
Bell has often been overshadowed by bigger names on his team with the likes of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch taking away the limelight despite the #20 crew and driver’s consistent performances.
The Oklahoma native has proven the same by charging into the postseason playoffs every year since the introduction of the Next Gen car, along with three wins to his name throughout 2024. He missed out on his third consecutive Final 4 appearance this year after challenging for the title for the past two years.
Bell’s statistics also prove his caliber behind the wheel which often goes unnoticed with the JGR driver bagging 15 top 5 finishes this year, coupled with 23 top 10s and three pole awards to his name.
One driver who seems to echo the community’s thoughts on the same topic is Hendrick Motorsports regular and 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. “Extremely underrated and probably isn’t appreciated or talked about enough for performing at a high level. He does an exceptional job,” the #9 driver opined of Bell.
Another active competitor who seemed to share these views is Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, who said, “Christopher is honestly very underrated. You never see him out of control. That’s pretty big on how he manages the race, his car, his driving style.”
With two Cup Series champions vouching for the former dirt track racer, it seems the Bell certainly is the most underrated driver in NASCAR today, a title he rather would have liked to avoid.
Heading into the 2025 season, it remains to be seen if he can change this perception with fiery performances on track. The first opportunity to do so comes in February next year as the regular season kicks off with the 67th running of the famed Daytona 500.
