Christopher Bell is one tough customer. The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE has been cleared and will suit up to compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, despite suffering a serious injury in a vicious crash in last week’s event at Michigan International Speedway.
On Tuesday evening, Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that Bell fractured his left wrist in the Lap 148 crash with Chase Elliott in last Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Bell was treated for the injury in the infield care center at Michigan International Speedway, and after flying home to North Carolina, X-rays confirmed that Bell indeed had a fractured left wrist.
“Christopher Bell suffered a fractured left wrist after an accident on lap 148 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway,” Joe Gibbs Racing explained in an official team statement shared to social media. “After being evaluated and released from the infield care center, Bell has been cleared and will be behind the wheel of the No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE this weekend at Pocono Raceway.”
Following the official news from Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell took to his social media accounts to issue his own statement on competing this weekend.
“Thank you to each and every one who reached out to check on me. I truly feel the love,” Bell said. “I’m grateful for my team of doctors, JGR, NASCAR, and all of the previous drivers who have helped pave the way for the safety standards in our sport. See you in Pocono!”
Bell, 31, has shown a lot of speed so far this season, but to date, has not had much luck or results to show for the speed. The latest instance of Bell’s horrendous luck was the crash that led to the fractured left wrist. In the accident, Bell was battling Chase Elliott for the runner-up position with just over 50 laps remaining in the event when Elliott lost control of his car, collided with Bell, and sent Bell’s car hard into the outside wall.
A native of Norman, Oklahoma, Bell has 13 career NASCAR Cup Series wins to his credit, but is seeking his first win of the 2026 season. Bell has five top-five finishes and six top-10s through the opening 15 races of the season, and after a 31st-place finish at Michigan, Bell sits 10th in the championship standings.
With NASCAR’s Playoff Format, used from 2014 to 2025, scrapped in the offseason in favor of ‘The Chase’ format, used from 2004 to 2013, the “win and you’re in” instant berth was removed from the championship format.
Only the top-16 drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings will vie for the NASCAR Cup Series title over the final 10 races of the season this year. That makes starting every race ultra-important. Fortunately, for the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team, they have an ultra-tough driver, who is willing to gut it out with a fractured left wrist to keep the dream of a NASCAR Cup Series championship alive going forward.
