Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing expressed strong confidence in his team’s potential as he prepares for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff after a stretch without a win. The Christopher Bell NASCAR Playoff interview highlighted his approach, readiness, and optimism for the challenges ahead in the playoff rounds.
Bell Reflects on First Encounters Racing Top Cup Series Drivers
During the media session on Playoff Media Day, Christopher Bell recalled his early days in the Cup Series, coming up against drivers he admired. He shared that his first vivid memory of racing with established Cup drivers came during the 2020 Daytona Duel. He described the moment as especially meaningful, referencing past experiences with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Xfinity Series and the impact of seeing iconic cars from drivers like Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano.
“It was the Daytona Duel – 2020. So, what is crazy, being in the Xfinity Series, I had raced against Cup drivers, even going back to my first year in Xfinity – Dale Jr. (Earnhardt Jr.) ran the Richmond race, and that was a really cool moment for me to be able to race against him. I will never forget that Duel in 2020, just seeing the iconic cars – specifically it was Denny (Hamlin) in the FedEx car and Joey (Logano) in the Pennzoil car, and I had ran against Denny and Kyle (Busch) and Joey through the Xfinity Series, but just racing against those iconic cars that I had watched on TV for so long – it hit me hard, and I was like wow, it is really cool.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“It was during yellow – we were pacing around. Not during the race.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Building Legacy and Aspiring for Iconic Status
Bell discussed how the experience of racing against such legendary names and vehicles resonated with him, and contemplated the idea that younger drivers may look at his DEWALT 20 Toyota with similar admiration in the future. He spoke of the pride that comes with representing major sponsors and recognized the responsibility that comes with driving cars symbolizing iconic NASCAR brands.
“That hits hard, and it is really cool. I go back to how iconic the car was – seeing that FedEx 11 and the Pennzoil 22, and hopefully, at some point, they will be able to see the DEWALT 20 or the Rheem 20, and will be like, I watched this car on TV. I think it is a staple of the sponsor as well as the driver, and I’m honored to be representing these iconic brands, and hopefully, it is for years to come.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Preparation and Mindset for the NASCAR Playoff Push
As attention shifts to the playoffs, Bell addressed how he and his team gear up for the heightened intensity. He emphasized that, though the shift to “Playoff mode” is not easy, it is a necessary and expected aspect for any competitive team. Bell credited his team‘s ability to elevate their performance at critical moments and noted that, despite slumps prior to the playoffs, their car speed and preparedness position them well for a run at the championship.
“Yeah, I don’t want to say it is easy, but it is expected and every driver and every Playoff contending team really does a good job of that, and my team – what I’ve learned from them the last couple of years – is they just do an excellent job of being the best when it matters the most, and through a number of years now – we have come off kind of a slump leading into the Playoffs, then all of a sudden we go there and have our best car performance, our best speed and I feel confident in it.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Analyzing the Early Season Wins and Summer Challenges
Bell reviewed the contrasting patterns between early-season victories and the summer downturn. He attributed the three-race win streak to circumstances working in the team‘s favor, despite not dominating those events. Through the highs and lows, Bell’s outlook remains consistently optimistic about his team’s capability to turn things around as the playoffs approach.
“Really just things fell our way. I go back to 2024 – we had amazing car performance, and we were so fast, and it didn’t fall our way. Those three races – Atlanta is a speedway race. It is tough to look at car performance, but I only led one lap. Then you go to COTA – only led eight laps, didn’t dominate the race by any means. It went our way, and we were able to capitalize on it, and we reaped the benefits of some things we lost in 24. It comes and goes in this sport. It has been tough sledding through the summer months, but I’m excited for what is ahead of us.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Anticipating Performance at Key Tracks and Return to Victory Lane
Looking to the races ahead—including Darlington—Bell acknowledged his team’s strong showings at several tracks, even if a win has so far eluded them at certain venues. He believes any given week could produce another victory, given the team’s consistent speed and competitive edge. Bell dismissed the need for drastic changes and reaffirmed trust in the strategy and processes that produced wins earlier in the season.
“Absolutely. Any week it could happen. It could happen this week at Darlington. It could happen any week.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“We’ve been close. Darlington has been one that we’ve been really close at and haven’t won. The Playoffs are just littered with tracks like that – like Darlington, Kansas, Vegas, Gateway, now. All of those places, we’ve been super strong at – just haven’t quite won at. It could happen this week; it could happen next week.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“I don’t think we need to do anything different. Just keep plugging away. I’ve actually asked Adam (Stevens, crew chief) that because I was a little bit concerned about that a couple of weeks ago, and he said we are not doing anything different than we were when we won three races in a row to start the season. So, we’ve got a great team, a great process and we are going to keep after it, and we are going to great race tracks for us. I think we have all of the tools to go out there and execute and win races, and hopefully we can do that.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Internal Dynamics and Bell’s Approach to Aggressive Racing
In response to questions about on-track assertiveness, Bell indicated he would not shy away from defending his position during the playoffs if rivals adopt a rough style. He underscored that, despite sometimes being considered polite, he races his peers fairly but is prepared for confrontation if necessary.
“Oh, absolutely. If people start roughing you up or roughing me up, then I will for sure rough them up too. I’m not afraid of that by any means.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“I don’t know. I feel like – so whenever you say that it makes me feel like people are running me hard or taking advantage of me, and I don’t feel that way. I feel like I’ve been raced fairly, so far, and I feel like I’ve raced people fair.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Confidence from Past Results and Championship Readiness
Reflecting on strong finishes, including a victory at Phoenix and a runner-up at Martinsville, Bell cited these results as bolstering his belief that 2025 represents his best chance yet for a championship. He credited crew chief Adam Stevens for shared confidence in the schedule and expressed readiness to challenge the top contenders as the postseason unfolds.
“I think this is probably our best year so far for a championship, just the way the schedule lays out. We know that. Adam (Stevens, crew chief) knows that. We are ready to take it to them.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Challenges in the First Round and Strategy for Advancement
Bell outlined expectations for the opening round, especially the importance of Gateway and the possibility of strong results at multiple tracks. He acknowledged that scoring points at every stage is pivotal to remaining in contention, and he pointed to past experiences, such as the mechanical issues at Gateway, as both setbacks and motivators.
“I don’t know. At Gateway, at least by our standards I was the best car at Gateway. I was going to have to pass Ryan (Blaney) for the win, but I had more pace at that time before my engine had a mechanical failure, so Gateway is definitely one that I feel excited about and probably the most optimistic about, but really all three of them are great tracks that we could win at any moment, and we should score points. If you score points, you are going to be in a good spot to advance.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Handling Pressure When a Win is Needed to Advance
Bell openly discussed the difficulty of winning on demand when playoff progression is on the line. Drawing on examples like Blaney’s clutch victory at Martinsville and Logano’s performance at Las Vegas, Bell acknowledged that such feats are rare but possible for high-performing teams.
“I don’t know. It is very difficult to do. We’ve seen where it doesn’t happen very often, but I think it just comes down to the teams and the great teams are able to do it. We saw (Ryan) Blaney do it at Martinsville last year, and they are clearly a good, title contending team. Joey (Logano) essentially did it at Las Vegas. His likelihood of making it was not high if he didn’t win that race. It can be done by good teams.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Strengths, Weaknesses, and Potential Advantages
Bell assessed his team’s main strengths as road course and short-track performance, mentioning drivers like Shane van Gisbergen who have raised the competitive bar. He also pinpointed intermediates as an area where the team has been frustrated by narrow margins, while considering Talladega an unpredictable challenge that can affect even the strongest performers.
“Well, I would say our biggest strength is road course racing, but there is a guy named Shane van Gisbergen that keeps taking that away. Road courses have been really good, so I’m optimistic about the ROVAL, and then obviously, short tracks, flat tracks – the Phoenix, Loudon, Gateway – those style race tracks have obviously been really good to us for a number of years now. Between the ROVAL and those – Gateway, Loudon, Phoenix – I think that is our bread and butter. Intermediates – we’ve been close and have been able to run well, but it just seems like we have been a little off on winning pace, but I say any week and it could change in any week, and we could go out and win any of those races. Weakness for sure is Talladega – even if Talladega is a strength, you are not guaranteed a good finish there. I think we are on par with the rest of them with most of our good tracks.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Experience, Maturity, and Lessons Learned from Previous Seasons
Comparing his team’s current state to past years, Bell noted that although they have not led as many laps or secured stage points in 2025, their foundation of consistency is intact. He credited increased maturity, experience, and a steady team structure with helping him handle playoff pressure and focus on execution when it matters.
“We definitely haven’t led laps or had that stage performance that we want throughout the 2025 season, but I will say now, I’m far more seasoned. Every year that goes by, you have more experience and understand the name of the game a little bit more and how to play it. We haven’t led laps, and we haven’t got the stage points that we did in years past, but we know – it is still the same crew chief, same driver, same pit crew – everything is still the same, we just have to go out there and do it. We are going to have a little bit more pressure now, and I’m excited about the opportunity.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Short Track Performance and the Importance of Execution
Bell expanded on the need for excellence at short, flat tracks for anyone aiming to secure the championship, pointing to past disappointments as learning opportunities. He referenced pit road errors and mechanical failures in deciding races, emphasizing the importance of race-day execution provided the team’s baseline speed remains competitive.
“I think it is. We know that you have to be good there if you are going to win the championship, and I want the opportunity. I think if we get the opportunity – we will have a good shot at it. I go back to 2022, 2023 – whenever I made the final four, we didn’t execute the race well. We had a pit road mishap in ’22 and a brake failure in ’23, so I think we will have performance if we can just execute the race and get there and see what we have.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Takeaways from Last Year’s Playoff Experience
Reflecting on prior playoff runs, Bell emphasized the critical importance of securing race wins in crucial rounds to advance. He cited last year’s Las Vegas race, where despite strong execution and car performance, Joey Logano’s strategic call and fuel management ultimately made the difference. The lesson, Bell shared, is that to make it to the final four, one cannot rely solely on accumulating points: a win is essential.
“What I take from last year is that you need to win. Last year, the Las Vegas race – that is the one that really stings and feels like got away. We had the car performance; we had the execution – Joey (Logano) and the 22 team outsmarted us. They made it on fuel. We had to make a pit stop and they won the race, and unfortunately it kicked us out. We scored great points through Las Vegas. We scored great points through Homestead-Miami, and we still didn’t make it, so you have to win. Whenever you get to that Round of 8, you really need to bank and plan on winning a race to make the final four.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Parity Among Top Contenders Heading Into the Playoffs
When asked about clear favorites, Bell suggested this year’s championship race might be more open than in the past. Rather than targeting a specific group of rivals, he is focused on survival through the early rounds and will reassess the competition should he reach the Round of 8.
“No. It feels like there is less and less than we’ve had the last couple of years.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“No, not yet. Once we get to the Round of 12, more so the Round of 8 – you are really looking at it, but right now it is just about surviving and you have to see who survives these first two rounds and then you restack the cards and see who can be the contenders when you get to the Round of 8.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Staying Calm and Embracing Routine in the Playoff Spotlight
Bell credited experience for his increase in composure heading into his fifth playoff campaign. Growing familiarity with the playoff structure and its associated pressures, he explained, has contributed to a more stable and confident mindset.
“I think I’m just another year older. This is year five in the Playoffs for me, so it is becoming more routine, more normal. Just getting more comfortable.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Importance of Experience and Avoiding Early Mistakes
Bell highlighted the risks inexperienced drivers face in the opening rounds, where nerves and pressure often lead to mistakes. Through trial and error, including his own elimination in the Round of 12 in 2021, he has learned the value of patience and situational awareness—attributes nurtured by years of competition at the highest level.
“I think you are just more prone to making mistakes. The more amped up you get, the more the pressure gets to you. The more likelihood you are at making mistakes. The calmer you can be, the more times you do it you get more comfortable with it, you understand how to do it, and how to play the game – sometimes you need a home run, sometimes you need to win the race, sometimes you just need a couple of points. Now that I’ve experienced it and I’ve done it a couple of times, I guess I just realize that more now.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
“I’ve just noticed it more year over year. I go back in 2021; I got eliminated in the Round of 12 off a stupid mistake. We were at Las Vegas, and it might have been pit stop number one of the day, we had a stack up coming on pit road, and I knocked the front end in and ruined my day, off of – why? I didn’t have to do that. It meant nothing. I learned from that, and that is just an example of what happens whenever you are young and inexperienced.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Sense of Urgency for This Year’s Championship Opportunity
Bell recognized the unique alignment of circumstances favoring his team and stressed that everyone is aware of what is at stake. The rotating location for the championship race adds an extra layer of importance to capitalizing on current opportunities.
“Well believe me, we know this as good as it lines up for us. We know that this is a great opportunity for us.”
—Christopher Bell, Driver
Looking Ahead: Bell’s Playoff Outlook and NASCAR’s Intense Competition
As Christopher Bell moves into the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff, his focus remains on leveraging his team’s experience, refining race execution, and maintaining composure under championship pressure. By drawing from past highs and learning from previous setbacks, Bell and Joe Gibbs Racing enter the postseason with renewed determination. The intensely competitive nature of the playoff field means every track, strategy, and decision will play a vital role in their championship quest. With influential crew chief Adam Stevens and a consistent pit crew supporting his drive, Bell believes his team has all the right ingredients to compete for the sport’s highest honor in 2025.
