Time for another slip-of-the-tongue announcement! After a breakthrough year when Tyler Reddick almost clinched the Cup Series title, 23XI Racing was on a roll. Yet the team’s prospects were clouded by Michael Jordan’s lawsuit against NASCAR. Plans for a third charter acquired from Stewart-Haas Racing seemed bleak. But according to a recent update, the team is pushing ahead with its plans anyway. And Christopher Bell may spill the beans on its new driver.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver stirred up a hilarious situation earlier in June. Bell’s most veteran teammate, Martin Truex Jr, officially hung up his firesuit this season. The No. 19 Toyota Camry was to be occupied by a new driver, not officially revealed back then. Yet Christopher Bell could not hold his tongue – and his new teammate suspects he might muck it up again for 23XI Racing.

Martin Truex Jr spent 19 years in the NASCAR Cup Series, collecting 34 race victories. So his presence in JGR was solid as he was a great leader. Christopher Bell believed that the leadership vacuum could be filled, as he said in a New Hampshire news conference.

But in a moment of oblivion, Bell slipped out the name of the driver who would fill this leader’s spot – Chase Briscoe. Laughter rang out through the press hall as Bell’s face turned redder than the Rheem logo on his chest. Briscoe’s signing was made public soon after – and now the new JGR driver believes Bell might spill the beans for 23XI as well.

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23XI Racing released a new and snazzy video where a shadowy figure walks against some bright red headlights. Fans immediately guessed who this mystery driver would be. For months, 23XI has flirted with the possibility of a third car, and their driver options were Chandler Smith, Corey Heim, and Riley Herbst.

Smith is dealing with sponsor troubles, while Truck driver Heim has already signed with Tricon Garage for 2025. So Herbst is the remaining option. But Chase Briscoe roasted Christopher Bell for possibly slipping the news before the team’s official announcement. Briscoe wrote, “Don’t let @CBellRacing near a mic.”

This is a follow-up to the hilarious chain of events that happened earlier. After Christopher Bell slipped out the name ‘Chase,’ his old friend responded in a hearty manner. “I just kind of laughed at it. I thought it was pretty good. Typical Christopher.” 

Even Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson poked fun at the incident, joking about his own teammate, who is Briscoe’s namesake. “Man totally blindsided by this news! Wishing @chaseelliott the best on his new adventure at @JoeGibbsRacing,” Larson posted on his X account. “Have enjoyed you as a teammate! Good Luck #di9”

And Chase Briscoe’s current roasting drew tickled responses from the fan community.

NASCAR fans join in to pull Christopher Bell’s legs

Christopher Bell’s New Hampshire slip-up was very funny, as the No. 20 Toyota driver reddened like an apple in his light-hearted mistake. Larson himself admitted. “I was dying laughing because it was hilarious,” the HMS star said. So Briscoe’s continuation of that JGR slip-of-the-tongue was no less precious for the fans. One fan commented that 23XI Racing’s secret driver would hardly be a mystery in Bell’s mind: “The “biggest secret” in nascar lol.”

Given Briscoe’s close friendship, he would never let Bell go without a solid roast. So another fan harped on Briscoe’s persistence to keep rubbing salt into Bell’s wound: “Y’all are never going to let him forget, huh? 🤣🤣🤣” Given that the two have been friends since they were 12 and even lived together at one point in time, Briscoe wouldn’t miss a chance at getting another chance of poking fun at Bell. Somebody else agreed with Briscoe’s view about not allowing a microphone for Bell: “Just lock him away until the announcement tomorrow.”

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Riley Herbst’s 23XI Racing induction had been on the rumor mills for a while. Denny Hamlin himself dropped a massive hint after Herbst’s Indianapolis Xfinity victory with a one-word post: ‘Impressive.’ So one fan opined Briscoe cannot blame Bell much when the cat’s out of the bag already. “Pretty sure Denny revealed it himself when he said impressive at indy.” Then Herbst also has this distinctive physical feature  – he has big, Buddha-like ears. So, some fans agreed that the 23XI video itself gave away the secret. “They didn’t need Bell when Herbst has them satellite dishes for ears.”

Chase Briscoe set off a ripple of laughs after 23XI’s surprise revelation. Christopher Bell will have a hard time sifting through the roast messages.