Big thanks to Coach Gibbs for letting the cat out of the bag. After two long years of keeping his drivers out of dirt racing, Joe Gibbs finally waved the rule that kept Joe Gibbs Racing drivers from competing outside of NASCAR. And boy, are we glad he did, because if not, we would’ve missed one of the most exciting finishes at the Tulsa Shootout.

For someone like Christopher Bell, a dirt racer at heart, having to sit out for two years must have been torture. His last dirt race was in 2022, and fast forward to 2024, Bell’s back in the Tulsa Shootout, racing in both the Winged Outlaw and Non-Wing Outlaw divisions. And let’s just say, he couldn’t have made a better comeback—especially after the jaw-dropping finish that had fans on their feet.

Christopher Bell makes a return in style

Bell’s first main event in the Tulsa shootout was in the Winged Outlaw category. But we did not see the same 2018 Golden Driller winner. Kyle Larson led and bagged the trophy while Bell finished 9th. And Larson was on a roll as he went on to also win the Winged A class at Tulsa.

While Larson was looking to make it three for three with a win at Non-Wing Outlaw, Bell had different plans. In a photo finish, Bell held off Larson on the final lap as the latter tried to pull Ross Chastain’s ‘Hail Melon.’ But Bell prevailed, bagging the checkered flag.

That’s what dirt racing fans live for: two of the best going toe-to-toe, and Christopher Bell pulling off the win. It was the perfect way to cap off the Shootout. Now that Bell’s free to race outside of NASCAR again, he’s filling up his calendar before Coach Gibbs has second thoughts. First stop? It’s gotta be the Chili Bowl, the ‘Super Bowl’ of Midget Racing, coming up in 2025.

If you don’t know, Christopher Bell is a force in midget racing. He’s got three consecutive Chili Bowl wins under his belt, from 2017 to 2019. His last dirt race was in 2022 at the Chili Bowl, where he finished second. But now, he’s back, and he’s teaming up with his old crew, Keith Kunz Motorsports, driving the iconic #71W car once again.

But don’t think this will be an easy ride for Bell. Kyle Larson’s coming for him, and to make things even spicier, Kyle Busch is debuting. If you saw how Busch was dominating the heat races at Tulsa, you know he’s a serious threat to Bell’s comeback victory at the Chili Bowl. And while most NASCAR drivers hang it up after the Chili Bowl and focus on prepping for Daytona, Bell’s got a whole lot more on his plate.

Christopher Bell’s long dirt racing schedule

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After the Chili Bowl, Bell’s not slowing down. In early February, he’s making his return to 410 Sprint Cars with the legendary Kreitz Racing No. 69K team. The team, owned by National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Don Kreitz, is one of the best in the game, and Bell’s fired up. From February 4th to 6th, he’ll be at Volusia Speedway Park for the World of Outlaws season opener, getting back in the groove with practice sessions and the main event.

Bell told FloRacing, “Watching the 69K run over the years has been super impressive. Don and the Kreitz team are top-notch, and I’m excited to see what it’s like to drive. I’ve been out of Sprint Car racing for a while, so I’m looking forward to getting my feet wet and see how comfortable I am in my return.”

After that, Bell will prep for the season opener Daytona 500, before jumping back into the #69K for the Kyle Larson-owned Kubota High Limit Racing season opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 13th. The schedule after this hasn’t been announced yet, but surely Bell will enter more events alongside the Cup Series.

So yeah, Christopher Bell is keeping plenty busy this offseason. What do you think about his return to dirt racing? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!