NASCAR Insider’s Not Fully Sold on Christopher Bell’s Championship 4 Repeat Despite Massive Points Cushion

The demons of 2023 were back to haunt Christopher Bell as he fell short at Vegas yet again. While he did secure the second position, the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 was disappointed to miss out on a win after an incredible race. Despite his disappointment, Bell now sits in a comfortable spot at +42 above the cutline heading into Homestead, Miami. However, with one spot in Phoenix already taken, the race for the next three could get heated regardless of his points advantage.

Bell made the championship 4 last year as well and looked in a good spot to confirm his berth this year, leading 155 out of 267 laps in Vegas, until the inevitable happened. Joey Logano’s even-year magic worked its charm as he played the fuel mileage game to perfection. Logano decided not to pit in stage 3, unlike Bell, and that’s what gave him the advantage at the end in what was a strategic masterclass from Team No. 22. Bell will look to bounce back in Miami but could face some troubles along the way.

Could Bell get toppled from the top 4 even after a points cushion?

42 points above the cut line is usually a pretty safe and comfortable spot for any driver. But with pressure mounting high as the championship race approaches, any position is under threat. While a win at the Las Vegas Speedway would have guaranteed a seat at the championship race, history repeated itself. Christopher Bell found himself in a similar situation in 2023 as well when Kyle Larson snatched the win at Vegas Speedway away from him.

Motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck appeared on ‘Dirty Mo Media’ and said, “Basically, they did what they had to do… Bell himself, we asked him about that last run, you know he had 70 or whatever laps to do this, and he said, ‘There wasn’t a moment where I felt like I got hung up in traffic too much.’ Bell did everything he was supposed to do. They played the strategy that they essentially had to play. Unfortunately, the way the system is, it’s not much solace to Bell.”

The next two tracks before the championship 4 at Phoenix include Homestead and Martinsville Speedway. If Bell wins any of these races, he will certainly secure a position in Phoenix. However, if there are unfamiliar faces on the podium, it could shake things up big time. Bell is just 5 points ahead of Kyle Larson, who had a messy race at Las Vegas but will be determined to bounce back in Miami. 

Motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck said that Bell’s crew chief, Steven Adams, expressed this sentiment after the Las Vegas Speedway race on Sunday. “Yes, we’re in a good points position. But, you don’t know if there’s another new winner next week that kind of moves the line or just takes a spot away and then there’s another new winner at Martinsville, suddenly if there’s three different winners, Bell could be looking at battling with Larson for the spot to go to Phoenix and that’s only seven points right now. So you could say, oh, he’s so far above the cutline, he’s going to be fine, but not really.” All the calculations would further go for a toss if Bell has a bad race at any of these tracks, which could further break his chances. 

Reflecting on his loss in Vegas, Bell said, “I definitely feel like I executed my race. I feel like our team executed our race. It just wasn’t meant to be. That’s a dagger. That’s more of a dagger than last year.” He remained composed to the media after the race, but did not hide his frustration from the team radio.

Did Bell Swear on the Radio after losing the first position at Vegas Speedway?

Christopher Bell must have felt a wave of déjà vu after Vegas while seeing yet another driver pip him to the checkered flag. The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 could not hide his frustration after a close second-place finish. In a fit of rage, he said, “You’ve got to be f*****g kidding me”. To boost Bell’s morals and acknowledge him for the incredible race, the team was heard reassuring him. They said. “Good job, buddy. That sucks, buddy. That sucks real bad but wasn’t meant to be. We did all we could do. Great car, fellas. Great job on pit road”. 

Christopher Bell will look to put his Vegas nightmares behind him as he heads to Miami for another shot at the championship 4 spot. Bell will feel a happier sense of déjà vu in Miami if he wins, as he would be going back-to-back on that circuit. Maybe a close second-place finish is what Bell needs to push that little harder and get that checkered flag. He did it in 2023 and will be as motivated as ever to do it this year.

While the race at the Las Vegas Speedway did not end how Bell fans might have envisioned, it does not end hopes for Bell. Do you think he will make his way to the Championship 4 yet again?