This year, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell made his second consecutive playoff appearance. And while doing so, he proved that the #20 team does know how to qualify.
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When a grid of 38 cars race each other in a fit of uncontrollable fury, the starting position matters a lot. A good start means that the driver gets the advantage of the clean air. Needless to say, an aerodynamic advantage goes a long way in deciding the outcome of the race.
Christopher Bell has been on the receiving end of this advantage 6 times this year. Moreover, he led the Cup Series roster with the best average starting position in 2023, as reported by NBC.
Being one of the three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers in the top 10, Bell was the only driver who flaunted an average starting position better than 10.0.
Bell started from the pole for 6 Cup races in 2023 before he reached the coveted Championship 4 race. Additionally, Bell started 23 races inside the top 10.
Despite putting up race-winning speed, a mechanical failure ended Bell’s day
After starting 13th in the Championship race at Phoenix, it didn’t take long for Bell to gain positions as he capitalized on his blazing-fast Toyota. Just in the opening stage, he was able to enter the top 10.
While HMS’ William Byron dominated the early stages of the race and led 95 laps, Bell raced the other two Championship 4 contenders, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney, the hardest he could. Unfortunately, on lap 108, his dream of winning a championship faded abruptly.
Going down the backstretch, Bell’s right front brake rotor blew up and ended his day. In a post-race interview, Bell admitted that although there were no signs of such a mishap during the qualifying or practice, he had felt his brakes getting tighter and tighter during the final race.
“That was my first time I’ve ever exploded a rotor in my career,” Bell said. “I was surprised, but early on in the race, I had a little bit of brake fade and the second run it just kept getting worse and worse. Just obviously a disappointing way to end.”
