Christopher Bell championship pursuit has taken center stage as Joe Gibbs Racing and crew chief Adam Stevens focus entirely on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series title, with nothing less than a championship finish viewed as acceptable. Bell’s recent victory at Bristol Motor Speedway marks his fourth win this season, yet both he and his team stress that regular race wins are only part of their broader goal to secure the top honor in the sport.
Relentless Drive for the NASCAR Cup Series Trophy
Adam Stevens, who leads efforts as Bell’s crew chief, emphasized in a recent SiriusXM NASCAR Radio appearance that their priority is aimed squarely at the championship:
“I feel like as a group and as a team, we’ve put cars on the racetrack capable of winning more races than we have in any year prior to this. We just haven’t been able to do it as a team. All that being said, the first goal when we sit down with our white sheet of paper every year is to win the championship and that’s completely in front of us. Everything up to that is a stepping stone goal.”
– Adam Stevens, Crew Chief
This attitude extends across the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing team, as they have consistently fielded competitive cars throughout the year. Despite matching Shane Van Gisbergen for the second-highest number of wins so far, they’ve encountered challenges – especially with track positioning late in races. However, these problems have only steeled Stevens’s resolve to claim the title, refusing complacency even as victories accumulate.
A Successful Bristol Outing Locks In Playoff Progress
Bell’s triumph at Bristol not only added to his season’s win tally but also secured his advance into the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The Oklahoma native boasts an impressive record through 29 races: four wins, 10 finishes inside the top five, and an average final position of 12.5. Having narrowly missed the Championship 4 last year, Bell is striving to return for a third time, determined to seize an opportunity that slipped away in 2024.
Bell’s Perspective on the 2025 Playoff Campaign
After his latest win at Bristol, Bell managed to outpace Brad Keselowski in the closing laps, earning his 13th career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Following this pivotal result, Bell expressed his optimism about his team’s playoff momentum, stating on social media:
“The 2025 playoffs are off to a good start 🔥 #teamtoyota”
– Christopher Bell, Driver
Now in his fifth full-time season at NASCAR’s highest level with Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell’s career trajectory continues to rise. His earlier success includes a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship with Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2017, underscoring his long-standing competitive drive.
Championship Ambitions Define the Season Ahead
As the playoff rounds continue, Christopher Bell and his team remain unsatisfied by mere race wins, holding fast to their championship ambitions. The intensity and focus radiating from both Bell and crew chief Adam Stevens signal that, for Joe Gibbs Racing, only a NASCAR Cup Series title will suffice this season. With formidable competition from drivers like Shane Van Gisbergen and Brad Keselowski, the stakes grow ever higher as Bell’s pursuit of the sport’s ultimate prize continues to intensify.
