Christopher Bell, driving the #20 Rheem Toyota, reached a pivotal moment after his thrilling late-race pass secured a win at the NASCAR Cup Series’ first Playoff elimination event last week in Bristol, Tennessee. This victory has propelled Bell’s momentum as he prepares to compete in Sunday’s Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, marking the start of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR playoffs.
Bell’s Proven Success on New Hampshire Oval Strengthens Confidence
Bell has demonstrated remarkable skill at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, capturing victories in two out of the last three NASCAR Cup Series races held at the historic one-mile track. He enters this week’s race with the added confidence of being the reigning winner across all three national NASCAR series at this venue, including a NASCAR Xfinity Series win last fall and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series triumph during the 2017 visit. His consistent performances at New Hampshire make him a formidable contender.
His Joe Gibbs Racing team currently dominates the early Playoff rounds, having swept all three opening races with teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin winning Darlington, South Carolina, and Gateway, Illinois respectively—an unprecedented team accomplishment in NASCAR history.
Toyota’s Dominance and Bell’s Aspirations at New Hampshire
Over the past few years, Toyota-powered vehicles have not only swept every race at New Hampshire during the Next Gen car era but have also led a majority of the laps and won all race stages this season. Bell voiced his optimism about the upcoming race, emphasizing the importance of scoring points and improving on qualifying performances to capitalize on the strong Toyota presence.
I think we’re every bit as capable as any of the other 12 out there. It’s a good racetrack for us as a group and we know what it takes to be good there, and it seems like our cars are really good. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.
—Christopher Bell, NASCAR driver
Points Standings and Playoff Contenders at New Hampshire
Returning to New Hampshire for its first Playoff race since 2017, the Round of 12 begins with tight points battles. Denny Hamlin leads by a slim margin, followed closely by Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron—the Regular Season Champion—and Kyle Larson. Bell holds fourth position, trailing Hamlin by six points but well within reach of the lead. Other drivers including Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, and Bubba Wallace remain fiercely positioned to advance from the cutline.
Among this field, only Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Bell have recently won at New Hampshire, while veterans Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski also have past victories on this track, adding depth and experience to the competition.
Ryan Blaney Reflects on New Hampshire’s Challenges and Opportunities
Ryan Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, expressed his eagerness about New Hampshire returning to the Playoff calendar. He acknowledged his strong previous performances at the track, despite setbacks due to racing incidents and changing weather conditions last year.
I feel like New Hampshire has been one of those tracks to where we have run well and just not really finished where we deserved,
said Blaney.
I felt really good there last year. We were running up front before the rain. We were running second during the rain and got turned around there on one of the last restarts, but I think just trying to stay in the mix. The first part of it is trying to have a car that runs up towards the front. I am happy that New Hampshire has gotten a Playoff race.
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR driver
Contending with Toyota’s Speed Remains a Primary Goal
The dominant story of the current NASCAR season continues to be Toyota’s remarkable performance. Drivers from Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI Racing, and Legacy Motor Club have consistently shown speed and consistency, posing challenges to rivals. Bell underscored this by calling the Toyota race cars the best he has ever driven in the Cup Series, praising the competitiveness not only of Joe Gibbs Racing but also of emerging teams fielding Toyota cars.
It’s just all the Toyotas are super-fast right now,
Bell remarked.
I think I said it last week in my post-race interview that this is the best race car I’ve had to drive in the Cup Series compared to the competition in my career.
Despite this advantage, Bell tempered expectations by acknowledging the long journey remaining in the playoffs and the difficulty of securing a championship, especially since the championship finale will be held at Phoenix, a track where they are not competing next week.
But we’ve got a long way to go to get to Phoenix and it’s going to be a hard road, and everybody knows that.
—Christopher Bell, NASCAR driver
Qualifying and Practice Set the Stage for Race Day
The weekend schedule includes practice sessions followed by the Busch Light Pole Qualifying on Saturday afternoon, with Chase Elliott entering as the defending pole winner. These sessions offer teams a final opportunity to dial in their setups and drivers a chance to secure advantageous starting positions for the Mobil 1 301.
Looking Ahead: What Bell’s New Hampshire Performance Could Mean
With his recent Bristol victory fueling his confidence and his proven track record on the challenging New Hampshire oval, Christopher Bell stands poised to make a significant impact as the playoff intensifies. His ability to build on this momentum could be pivotal for Joe Gibbs Racing’s success and Toyota’s dominance in the Round of 12. The upcoming race promises to be a critical test of resilience and skill as Bell and his competitors vie for a place in the championship finale.
