Christopher Bell spoke candidly about his recent frustrations with pit strategy and how it has affected his performance this NASCAR season. At Gateway, Bell exposed his irritation after watching his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates find success while his own results have lagged, particularly criticizing the pit strategy that has repeatedly compromised his races on oval tracks.
Although Bell managed a respectable seventh-place finish at Gateway and stayed comfortably above the playoff elimination line, his teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have secured wins at Gateway and Darlington, advancing into the Round of 12. This contrast weighed heavily on Bell, who admitted that seeing the cars perform well without him intensified his frustration.
The impact of pit timing on Bell’s race outcomes
Bell’s grievances centered around the timing of his pit stops, especially compared to frontline competitors. During the final green flag pit sequence at Gateway, Bell delayed his stop by seven laps longer than Hamlin, a decision that clearly affected his track position. Reflecting on this during Bristol’s qualifying session, Bell said:
“If your teammates are out there winning races and leading laps that shows that you know the cars are capable, we have the equipment and I haven’t been leading laps and I haven’t been winning races. So you know, there’s obviously something going on that’s keeping us from doing that.”
—Christopher Bell, NASCAR driver
He also discussed how the pit strategy that works for him on road courses does not translate well on ovals, stating:
“Every road course race that I’ve won has been on that run long pit later have fresher tires and advance through the field strategy, but certainly on the ovals it feels like the cars have gotten closer together.”
—Christopher Bell, NASCAR driver
At Bristol Motor Speedway, Bell qualified ninth for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, lining up on the fifth row in his No.20 Toyota, with teammate Denny Hamlin starting three spots ahead. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe faced a difficult weekend, finishing 31st.
Expert analysis sheds light on Bell’s mounting frustration
NASCAR expert Jordan Bianchi recently addressed Bell’s pit strategy concerns during the Door Bumper Clear podcast, linking them to a similar costly experience at last year’s Las Vegas race. Bianchi explained:
“It’s indicative of what happened a year ago at Las Vegas. This team lost a race at Las Vegas, they should have won. And that was because of pit strategy….and they lost that race and it really put them out of the championship four.”
—Jordan Bianchi, NASCAR insider
Bianchi suggested that the memory of the Las Vegas setback continues to influence Bell’s mindset and the team’s approach. Additionally, Bristol’s track conditions, which limit tire wear and make overtaking challenging, will test how well Bell’s crew chief, Adam Stevens, can adjust their pit tactics. Most drivers prefer to extend their tire stints, but closer competition on ovals requires precise timing to gain track position without losing crucial lap time.
Bell’s ongoing struggle with pit strategy highlights a critical hurdle for Joe Gibbs Racing’s No.20 team as they chase their first win in this playoff season. How Stevens and his crew adapt in the remaining races could determine Bell’s ability to break through and make a serious run toward the championship.
