Christopher Bell achieved a hard-fought preliminary victory on Thursday at the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, navigating heavy traffic and late-race restarts to capture the win. Despite this accomplishment, Bell made it clear that improvements are needed for his car before Saturday’s main event, emphasizing his determination to excel at this year’s competition. The Christopher Bell Chili Bowl Nationals campaign continues, as the three-time champion advances toward Saturday’s championship.
Starting the A-Main from the eighth position, Bell methodically worked his way through the field, ultimately seizing the lead in the closing laps after a series of cautions reset the field. His decisive move from the bottom line solidified the victory, continuing a streak of strong preliminary performances this week. With the win, Bell secured a valuable starting slot in Saturday’s feature event, adding to his earlier successes that included a qualifier win and triumph in the 30-lap preliminary.
Champion Pointedly Calls for Car Adjustments Ahead of Finale
During his post-race interview, Christopher Bell did not hesitate to share his honest assessment of the car’s performance and his plans for improvement before the highly anticipated main event.
“No, I think it’s going to take some changes for sure. So, yeah, it’s uh I’m not exactly thrilled with what I have and and I’m sure it’s going to take some changes,” Christopher Bell said (01:30 onwards).
This year marks the debut of Bell’s personally built car at the Chili Bowl, a project constructed over the offseason with significant personal investment and high hopes. His O’Reilly Auto Parts Race of Champions victory earlier in the week underscored the car’s potential, but Bell has remained vocal about the delicate balance between outright speed and the consistent drivability needed to succeed over the length of Saturday’s 55-lap championship.
Bell addressed these technical challenges in another interview, underlining that the car’s pace on brief runs is promising, yet maintaining control lap after lap remains a pressing concern as he targets another title.
“I don’t think it’s good enough to win on Saturday. I’ve just got to make the car a little more drivable,” Bell said (via NASCAR.com).
Racing Against Top Competition and Pursuing a Fourth Championship
Christopher Bell, representing Joe Gibbs Racing, boasts three Chili Bowl titles from 2017 through 2019 and is among a rare group of competitors with multiple wins. Among his rivals is defending champion Kyle Larson, who is equally determined to claim a fourth Golden Driller trophy this weekend. These championship-caliber drivers will be central figures as fans focus on the prestigious main event.
Bell Enjoys Personal Milestone with Debut Equipment
Marking his thirteenth start at the Chili Bowl Nationals, Christopher Bell competed for the first time with a car he built himself. In his interview, Bell expressed pride in bringing his own equipment to the landmark 40th annual edition of the event—a milestone he feels strongly about from a personal and professional standpoint.
“Yeah, it just it feels really good, man. And I would say that the Race of Champions was a huge win for me. And then the prelim is all about Saturday,” Christopher Bell said (01:00).
The focus now turns to the championship race, scheduled for Saturday, January 17, to be streamed live on FloRacing, where Bell seeks to translate his hard work and modifications into a fourth Chili Bowl Nationals title. With rivals like Kyle Larson in pursuit and heightened expectations due to building his own racecar, the stakes for Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, and the entire field could not be higher.
