Christopher Bell is in search of to grow to be the primary particular person since 2007 to win 4 consecutive NASCAR Cup Collection races, and he just lately spoke with the final driver to efficiently accomplish the spectacular feat – seven-time Cup Collection champion Jimmie Johnson.
“It’s nonetheless the best factor on the earth to me that I’ve Jimmie Johnson in my telephone,” mentioned Bell throughout a media availability over the weekend. “He has talked to me. He has despatched me a textual content message after each win to date. I’m nonetheless shocked each time I see his title pop up. I respect the heck out of him. It’s an honor to know that he thinks of me after the race to ship a textual content message. That’s so cool. We now have related, sure.”
Bell’s mission to hitch an unique membership that options simply eight drivers because the trendy period of the game started in 1972 will likely be extraordinarily troublesome, and it is getting tougher by the day. Bell certified thirteenth however will truly begin from the rear of the 36-car discipline because of unapproved changes (throttle physique change). How vital might that be in impacting his efforts on Sunday?
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: Chris Graythen – Getty Photos
“We now have come to be taught – not less than from my group – qualifying and racing are type of two separate issues,” mentioned Bell (earlier than being despatched to the again of the grid). “The way you qualify doesn’t essentially dictate how you’re going to run within the race. The massive factor about qualifying is that pit stall choice. We’ve been actually lucky to finish up with good pit stalls that we don’t get locked in – yeah, mainly I don’t get blocked in and should lose monitor place each time I’m making an attempt to get out.
”We’ve gotten away with our poor qualifying efforts, to date, however yeah, actually, we need to concentrate on qualifying, however we’ve discovered, the place we qualify doesn’t imply nothing for the way we’re going to run through the race. Qualifying at these intermediates has been our energy. We count on to qualify and apply quite a bit higher right here than what we’ve executed the final couple of weeks.”
Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota will likely be in stall No. 38 with John-Hunter Nemechek within the stall proper behind him and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. within the stall immediately forward of him.
A historic achievement
The 30-year-old driver is actually interested by the super alternative that stands earlier than him, telling the assembled media at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that he’s “enthusiastic about it,” however admits “nothing that has occurred the final three weeks means something for this week.”
Talking extra on what it could imply, Bell mentioned, “it’s particular. That’s the cliché reply, however it’s one thing I take a variety of pleasure in. It’s loopy to consider. Simply the time I’ve been within the Cup Collection, it appears like a very long time, however then you definitely take a look at stuff like that, and I’m nonetheless fairly younger in my profession. I’m simply making an attempt to soak all of it in and benefit from the second. It’s a dream come true to be in comparison with or be in the identical class with guys that I’m having an opportunity to tie their stats or going with their stats. I assume time will inform the way it all seems, nevertheless it’s positively an honor – win or lose – to be in that dialog.”
All three of his wins to date this 12 months have come on totally different monitor sorts and Vegas is one other monitor not like the three that preceded it. Bell is 0-10 at LVMS, however that features two runner-up finishes, so the percentages actually aren’t utterly towards him.
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Photograph by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Photos
Larson: “It does not trouble me”
The final driver to come back this near the four-peat was Kyle Larson, who received three consecutive races on two separate events through the 2021 season. In a kind of, a blown tire coming into the ultimate nook at Pocono is the one factor that denied him 4. And as Larson factors out, if you wish to rely the All-Star Race, he did win 4 races in succession that 12 months.
“So, I believe having lived by it by myself, I can respect it much more and it does not trouble me, you already know, once I see someone else having success like that,” mentioned Larson. “So, if he wins this weekend, perhaps it is like – all proper, that is getting annoying. However I believe for me, as a competitor and a fan, I believe it is actually neat as a result of this sport is so robust, particularly within the Subsequent Gen period. So, I respect it greater than something presently.
“But when it retains occurring too lengthy, it’s going to get annoying.”
Watch: Christopher Bell’s win streak ‘does not trouble’ rival Kyle Larson
Hendrick Motorsports and Workforce Penske have mixed to win the final six Cup races at Las Vegas and the final JGR driver to win there was Denny Hamlin through the 2021 season. Nevertheless, Bell did lead probably the most laps of any driver right here final fall earlier than shedding in a fuel-mileage race.
“I’m optimistic on how we’re going to carry out, as a result of this has been a powerful monitor for us previously, however I’m simply making an attempt very laborious to not get forward of myself and perceive it’s a new week,” famous Bell. “It’s a special race, and everybody goes to be bringing their finest stuff to attempt to beat me. I’m optimistic about how we’re going to carry out, however I do know it’s a tall job.”
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Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Christopher Bell
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