“Man, this one feels really good,” said Christopher Bell after his first 2024 win at the Phoenix Raceway. It was the redemption he needed. Heading into the Championship race at the same track just a few months ago, Bell was full of hope when an exploding brake rotor ended his chances of a title and watched as Ryan Blaney went to victory lane and carried away what could have been his. But would Bell sit there silently? He hit back with over 50 laps lead in March 2024!

Now, with NASCAR heading to Phoenix once again this weekend, Christopher Bell has the chance to do it once again. Phoenix, a traditional Penske stronghold is now under threat from Christopher Bell who is on a path of vengeance. This race isn’t just about a win. It’s about showing who has what it takes to win the Championship Race at the same track later in the year.

Speaking of Christopher Bell, it’s important to understand his victory last year first. It wasn’t just a one-off incident but a culmination of efforts, as the #20 driver highlighted. “Just a credit to (crew chief) Adam (Stevens), man. Adam, my engineers… all the mechanics on this thing. You don’t get cars like that very often, as you know. Just super, super proud. Proud to be on this 20 car. This Rheem Camry was amazing today. I feel like we have capability of running races like this a lot. Hopefully, this is the first of many this year.” And with a team ready to give him the car he needs, Bell is already firing on all cylinders this year.

Christopher Bell’s 2025 season has been strong. He’s piling up wins and top finishes, and his #20 Toyota matches Penske’s speed. He knows this success can be long-term. “It’s time to start putting it all together. I’m sitting here 30 years old and (have) the opportunity of a lifetime in front of me. I’ve had this team for a long time, and I haven’t been performing to the standards that I hold myself and this team holds everybody.”

In nine Cup Series starts at Phoenix, he has one win, two top-5s, and four top-10s, with a 9.9 average finish, better than Logano’s 11.8 and Blaney’s 14.0 over the same period. . He said after the race, “It’s a track I’ve always felt comfortable at. The car was perfect, and we got it done.” But is that enough to hit the Penske Phoenix machine?

The numbers highlight Penske’s control. Since 2004, they’ve earned 13 wins, 49 top-10s, and a 92.3% finish rate across 52 races at Phoenix. Logano has three wins and a 12.2 average finish, while Blaney has two victories with a 14.6 average. Keselowski, before moving to RFK Racing, contributed four wins. Joey Logano said after his 2022 championship win, “Phoenix has been good to us. The team brings fast cars, and we execute.” Penske’s drivers haven’t matched that lately. Their performances this season have been lackluster, and if we look at their record at Phoenix in Spring, things don’t look good.

The last time a Penske driver won the Spring Phoenix Race was not in their time of title dominance. In fact, if we look at the records, their last Spring win at the track was back in 2020 when Joey Logano led 60 laps at the race to win. Now, with Bell on a streak, even Kevin Harvick, the 2014 champ turned FOX broadcaster, made a bold case for Bell’s title shot, spotlighting his potential to challenge Penske’s reign.

Harvick knows this history well—he’s the winningest driver at Phoenix with nine victories. Yet, he sees Bell as a real threat. “This is a pretty important race to be able to put yourself in a position to understand where you stand for the championship race. How many of those details can you stack… because until you can prepare at that level all year, it makes it really difficult,” Harvick said on his Happy Hour show. If that’s not convincing enough, even FOX Sports went as far as to list Bell down as having the best odds to win the race.

Christopher Bell on record to match historic record

With two wins already on his belt, one might think Christopher Bell could let off the gas. But how can he? It’s now just the Penske Fords he has to beat. He is on track to match a record held by some of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. You see, with two consecutive wins, Bell could go for the victory in Phoenix and Las Vegas after. Although it’s a long shot, there have been only eight drivers in the last 60 years who have managed for wins straight!

These were: Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Harry Gant, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson. But wait! There’s more. Of these drivers, five went on to win championships in the year they set this record. Yarborough, Waltrip, Earnhardt Sr., Gordon, and Johnson all won the Cup Series when they hit this achievement.

Christopher Bell has a real shot at entering NASCAR history books. Knowing this, it’s no surprise he’s being cautious. “I think it’s a testament to this team. They have no weaknesses. We can win at any race track at any time… I feel like we may have a ride. I don’t want to speak too early, but doing good so far.”