Bell picked up an vital win on Sunday night time within the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway – the longest race of the 12 months additionally pays probably the most factors as a result of it’s divided into 4 phases.
And whereas Bell was already locked into the playoffs due to his win earlier this season at Phoenix, extra victories imply extra playoff factors, which is able to assist in his hunt for the sequence championship.
The win additionally helps Bell and his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota workforce soothe over a current rocky stretch wherein he had one top-10 end in his earlier six races. He’s additionally crashed out of three races this 12 months and has 5 finishes of thirty third or worse.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Rheem Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Ben Earp / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
It’s that up-and-down nature of his efficiency that gnaws at Bell, largely as a result of he’s acutely conscious that he and his workforce are succesful a lot extra.
“Actually, this No. 20 workforce is at a very great place as a result of now we’re sitting midway by the common season with two wins, which is superb, however we’ve been extraordinarily upset with how our season has gone,” Bell, 29, stated.
“I feel that simply goes to indicate that the ceiling is there, and the aptitude of this workforce is there. We haven’t been performing like we need to, but when we put all of it collectively, we will definitely be a contender week-in and week-out and be a man that wins a handful of races year-in and year- out.
“That’s the top objective. I don’t need to be only a one- or two-win-a-year particular person. I need to be a five- to 10-win-a-year particular person.”
Regardless that Bell’s win got here in a rain-shortened race on Sunday night time, he clearly had proven by the third stage that he had one of many quickest automobiles.
His pit crew was spectacular, he held off some very decided competitors on the 2 restarts previous to the ultimate warning for rain and he led 90 of the 249 laps accomplished.
It was a shortened, however stable day for a workforce that has not had many this season.
“Hopefully reveals that we now have functionality,” Bell stated. “I hate speaking the discuss and never having the ability to stroll the stroll behind it, however I do know and my workforce is aware of and my firm is aware of, Toyota is aware of that we now have the aptitude to be an element week in and week out.
“It simply hasn’t come collectively but.”
Retaining spirits excessive regardless of setbacks
Bell’s crew chief, Adam Stevens, stated crucial a part of navigating an up-and-down season is sustaining confidence they’ve what it takes to contend each week.
“Should you’re assured you’re doing all the appropriate issues that it’s good to be doing, which I’m and I do know that we’re, you’ll be able to have nights like this simply as straightforward as you’ll be able to have days like we had a pair weeks in the past,” he stated.
“However you’ve bought to remain upbeat, you must focus in your strengths and work in your weaknesses and take it because it comes. You may’t make it occur lots of instances. It’s a must to let it occur.”
The upcoming summer time stretch of the Cup schedule ought to present Bell and the No. 20 workforce alternatives for extra good runs and even wins.
Whereas Bell has struggled at World Broad Expertise Raceway at Gateway, he excelled on street programs and run effectively at New Hampshire and Iowa, whether or not it’s in Cup or the Xfinity Collection.
“We’re in a fantastic a part of the schedule, and the cool factor is that I really feel like each time we go to the race observe I ought to have functionality and have an opportunity to win,” Bell stated.
“We’ve simply bought to maintain pushing in the appropriate route. The final a number of weeks haven’t been good, however I do know that I’ve the appropriate folks round me to succeed and do actually good issues.”
