“The worst-kept secret,” That’s what the racing community calls the driver transfer market in NASCAR. However, the JGR driver Christopher Bell took it to the next level when he fumbled and confirmed Chase Briscoe’s arrival to the team as Martin Truex Jr.’s replacement. “It could be whoever has a good race that week—so I don’t think that there really is a leadership role in that aspect and whenever Chase comes into the car.” This was it; the cat was out of the bag.

He did try his best to cover up, “Whenever. I don’t know what to say… Whenever we have a new driver in the 19 car, whoever that is, their experience level will dictate how much input they have in the team.” But he knew that he somewhat made an official announcement that he wasn’t supposed to. Soon this became a laughingstock, and many drivers and NASCAR personalities added their touch to this drama.

Well, Chase Briscoe seems to have found a way to get even with his teammate as he intentionally dropped an update about Bell’s Chili Bowl appearance.

Chase Briscoe spoils Bell’s official announcement on his return to the Chili Bowl

It is indeed strange to hear about Bell being linked with a return to the Chili Bowl. For the most part since 2022, Joe Gibbs Racing has refrained their driver from participating in non-NASCAR events. Well, this hard stance by the veteran owner softened with the arrival of another dirt racer, Chase Briscoe. Coach lifted the restrictions on his drivers, which opened the door for Bell to enjoy his off-season racing.

Shocked by the development, the driver of the #20 Toyota Camry stated, “I was super shocked, but with Chase coming on board and Ty growing an interest in dirt racing, it’s nice we have the majority of our team aligned with it now.” He said this to Athletic. Despite the lifting of the ban, there was no confirmation or update on Bell’s racing schedule. And it seems like Briscoe has dropped the inside news on where Bell might return to enjoy his dirt racing.

“Guess I’ll finally get him back for this; pumped to see @CBellRacing back at @cbnationals this year.” Briscoe shared this on X. The first guess was going to be Bell’s return to the Chili Bowl Nationals; the JGR driver is a three-time winner of the historic midget-racing event. But, due to the ban on dirt racing, he hasn’t been able to add to this tally. Whereas his NASCAR rival and dirt racing enthusiast, Kyle Larson has added two titles to his name in 2020 and 2021.

“Guess I’ll finally get him back for this, pumped to see @CBellRacing back at @cbnationals this year 🫣😏” Briscoe shared this on X.

So you see, it wasn’t exactly a level playing field in terms of competition for Larson to win those races. Now that Christopher Bell is unofficially confirmed to return at the SageNet center in January, we might be able to witness thrilling midget racing action between top NASCAR talents. The racing fans inside the arena will certainly have a bang for their buck if this prospect becomes a reality.

With Bell now joining the entry list, who else will be at the Chilli Bowl Nationals?

NASCAR stars who are expected to compete at the Chili Bowl Nationals

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So far, two NASCAR stars, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson, have officially announced their entry for the event referred to as the “Super Bowl of Midget Racing.” This will be Rowdy’s debut attempt at getting inside the midget car, and this news did take NASCAR fans by surprise. As it turns out, the crew chief’s duties for his son Brexton and dirt races at Millbridge Raceway have fueled his decision to embark on this adventure.

Larson is no stranger to turning up at the Chili Bowl events, but the 2024 feature was far from ideal for the star driver. With a late entry, he struggled to get past the qualifying rounds, and he failed to make it to the final event. So, he has some business to settle and make amends for his fumble, which is why he’s already announced his entry well in advance this time around.

Although Chase Briscoe’s post for Bell is good banter, it goes to show that the JGR driver is planning to return to his favorite racetrack. He did drop a hint regarding the same on X, “See you guys at a dirt track soon 😎.” It’s important to note that Ty Gibbs has also been preparing for his Chili Bowl debut; Gibbs recently competed at the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway. So, there’s a possibility that excluding Denny Hamlin, all three JGR drivers could be competing at the event in January.

Which NASCAR drivers are you hoping to see at the 2025 Chili Bowl Nationals? Let you know your picks in the comments section.