It seemed the stars were finally aligning for Christopher Bell when he won three consecutive races earlier in the season. Many assumed he would make it to the Championship 4. The story, however, ended differently, and Kyle Petty is still in shock that Bell missed out, again.
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Bell had a consistent Cup Series season and even won at Bristol in September. However, that rhythm, his results in the final eight races of the Cup Series, where he finished in the top 10, earned a win, and placed on the podium in three consecutive races, wasn’t enough.
Last year, Bell was edged out by William Byron for the final Championship 4 spot. This year, he entered Martinsville in a points duel against Kyle Larson, and the HMS driver beat him, gaining 49 points to Bell’s 41 in the last race of the Round of 8. Bell missed out despite entering the race with a one-point lead.
Petty voiced his disbelief at how Bell went out of championship contention during his recent chat with Steve Letarte and Alex Weaver. “For me, it’s unbelievable. I have felt this season that he and Denny were the most consistent, got more looks at wins, ran up front more, put themselves in position more to score stage points, to score wins. It just felt that way. And I just felt like he was a lock,” he said.
Recalling how last year Bell waited nearly 20 minutes for NASCAR’s call after a desperate last-lap move that looked like he rode the wall to gain ground on Byron, Petty said, “This year he was just out.”
Still, Petty hailed the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver for another standout year. “Phenomenal season, and I’m telling you, he just continues to get better and better and better. And it’s got to be just crushing,” he said.
“It’s got to be crushing, personally, and for him and Adam both, because I think they felt like they got me to Phoenix and we can win a championship. We can make this happen this year. We know we can. And now they’re on the outside looking in. So, for that team, that’s got to be a crushing blow,” added Petty.
The NASCAR veteran expects the #20 bunch to show up at Phoenix with fire in their bellies and lead the pack on Sunday. Bell would be keen to show everyone that if he were in this, this is what they would were going to have to deal with.
