Despite three victories and a fourth-place result in regular-season point standings, Christopher Bell, driver of the No.20 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing, appears to be flying under the radar entering the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs… again.
How that can even be possible, when the Norman, Oklahoma native has made the Championship 4 in every single season of the seventh-generation racecar, is beyond what logic would dictate, but alas.
There’s no denying the presence of inconsistency for Bell this season, whose six regular-season DNFs lead the 16 drivers who qualified for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Those disparaging numbers, though, have come alongside three wins and nine top-five results – only one less than Bell had during the entire 2023 season.
The fact of the matter is that Bell, with his three race wins, 10 stage wins, and fourth-place result in regular-season points, is in a much better position to start the Playoffs than ever before, more than doubling his Playoff Points total from last year.
“Well, I will tell you that I’ve done it the past two years and I’m in a much better position now than I have been in the last two years,” Bell said about his chances of making the Final Four again. “The plan is clear, and the path is right in front of us. We just have to execute, and we’ve got a little bit more wiggle room than we had the last couple of years.”
The journey to make the Championship 4 in 2022 was a tough one for Bell, who had to score a walk-off win at the Charlotte ROVAL to make the Round of 8, and then three weeks later, had to score another at Martinsville to advance to the final round of the Playoffs.
“Our path is definitely a lot different this year than what we’ve had the last couple years because of our seeding position, our Playoff points that we have. So, hopefully, our path is much different,” Bell said. “In 2022 I had to win, in 2023 I basically had to win and now we’re in a position where we might not have to win.”
In the raw speed department, there are absolutely no issues for Bell, who on several occasions this year has been the fastest racecar on a given weekend and not obtained the finish that was deserved, whether that be through strategy, a mid-race issue, or an accident out of his control.
“I’m bummed that we let so many wins slip away, but at the same breath, we’re in the best spot we’ve ever been in,” said Bell. “It leaves me feeling optimistic because I know the best is still ahead of me, hopefully. Next year, whenever I’m in this spot, hopefully, I’ll have twice as many Playoff points. But, yeah, we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us to win many races and race for a championship.”
Is there a ton of pressure that comes along with racing for a championship? Of course, but that isn’t going to deter the 29-year-old driver from putting it all on the line to achieve his dream of becoming a NASCAR Cup Series champion.
“I just really, really enjoy these moments and being a part of something that is as pressure-packed as the NASCAR Playoffs,” Bell explained. “These 10 weeks are very, very stressful and once the 10 weeks are over, it is something that is very relieving that you’re in offseason, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The way I look at it is, there are 20 other drivers that would love to be in this spot right now, so it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege to be here and I don’t take that for granted.”
Beginning with Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta, the best of the best in the NASCAR Cup Series will be completely locked in and focused, with hopes that at the end of 10 weeks, they are hoisting the championship trophy at Phoenix.
“This is go time. All of my focus, my energy is going to be on the following week. You’ve got 10 weeks to be at your best and perform at your best and you don’t have time for distractions like you do in the regular season.”
