This driver has fast lane to NASCAR’s Xfinity crown entering race at Kansas Speedway
The NASCAR Xfinity Series championship appears to be Christopher Bell’s to lose.
Or, to be more accurate, it’s Bell’s to win.
Bell’s six wins this season are the most by an Xfinity regular since 2012, and the most by a rookie in series history, surpassing future champions Greg Biffle (2001), Carl Edwards (2004) and Kyle Busch (2005).
Consequently, Bell, in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, is atop the standings as the Round of 8 playoffs begins Saturday with the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway, where he won his first career Xfinity race in 2017.
“We’re in really good shape right now,” said Bell, who won two of the three races — Richmond and Dover — in the Round of 12. “The bottom line is my race cars have been so fast. Driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, they will be fast. Now we’re just proving that. To able to win two of three is really cool. It would be nice to win Kansas and be on offense again the entire next round. Kansas is a good race track for me and for Joe Gibbs Racing, as well.”
Kansas was especially good for Bell last year. Bell, who won the 2017 NASCAR trucks championship before moving to Xfinity full-time this year, stole the Kansas race from teammate Erik Jones. Jones had dominated the race, winning the first two stages and led a Kansas Speedway-record 186 of 200 laps.
But Bell kept gaining on him, and with three laps to go, Bell went low to pass, slid up the track into Jones’ path, and Jones slammed into the back of Bell’s car. The damage caused Jones to limp to a 15th-place finish, while Bell drove to victory lane.
“I remember it was pretty awesome,” said Bell, 23. “It was pretty much exactly how I planned it. I was disappointed that Erik decided to run into the back of me instead of turn down and try and pass me back, but it worked out perfect where I got the big run off of Turn 2 and was able to clear him going into Turn 3. Like I said, I’m disappointed that Erik decided to play his cards the way that he did. But I thought my move was perfect.“
And it provided the momentum for a championship run this season.
“Yeah, Kansas was a huge proving point to myself as a driver and to Joe Gibbs Racing as an organization,” Bell said. “Whenever you step into these positions and you start driving for these great teams, your cars are really fast, and you’re expected to run up front. Kansas was a statement that I can win races. There’s a lot of guys out there who can lead laps or can run second, third all the time, but winning, it’s definitely different ...”
He has proven himself enough to the point that Gibbs said in August that JGR wants to keep Bell in the organization, though there is no available seat in the Monster Energy Cup garage. Reigning Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. is expected to replace Daniel Suarez in the No. 19 next year.
“Well, it’s a dream come true, really, A, to be driving for the coach himself, and B, to have him talking so highly of me and saying that he wants me to be a part of their organization going forward,” said Bell, a native of Norman and first Oklahoman to win a race in any of NASCAR’s three national series. As far as going into Cup, obviously there’s no hole right now, so that’s the biggest problem. And then the second biggest problem is money; where does the money come from, and who wants to (sponsor)?”
But if Bell is offered a ride in the Cup series by another team, would he listen?
“I have every intention of staying with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing,” said Bell, who is bidding to join Biffle and Austin Dillon as the only drivers to win trucks and Xfinity championships. “I feel like they’re the best organization in NASCAR, and they’ve put a lot into me … I would love to stay with them, and hopefully it works out in the future.
“So right now, that’s not in my hands. The only thing that is in my hands is a steering wheel, and hopefully I can continue to win races with that steering wheel.”