Christopher Bell Running After Kevin Harvick’s NHMS Record as Joe Gibbs Racing Grabs the Front Row for Sunday

Deep in the fast-paced realm of NASCAR, Christopher Bell is on a relentless pursuit of historical triumph at the iconic New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Indomitably grasping the coveted pole position for the Crayon 301 NASCAR Cup Series spectacle, Bell’s aspirations extend beyond merely winning the race.

In valiant strides, he inexorably inches closer to the record held by Kevin Harvick at the iconic New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Defending champion Bell leads the field after a narrow victory

This Sunday’s race at NHMS is particularly significant to Christopher Bell as he is the defending champion, having emerged victorious in the previous season’s event. In qualifying, Bell narrowly edged out his teammate Martin Truex Jr by a mere 0.007 seconds to secure the top spot. With a qualifying lap speed of 124.781 mph, Bell will lead the field to the green flag in the upcoming race.

After the qualifying, JGR shared a post on Instagram celebrating Bell’s 5th career pole, captioned, “Took the pole! @cbellracing’s stat sheet at @nhms continues to grow #NASCAR #TeamToyota.”

During a post-qualifying interview, Bell stated, “It’s crazy how much difference the temperature can change the cars. These things are really sliding around. You’re on the edge here for sure.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Joe Gibbs Loyalist Denny Hamlin Sends a Message to Truex Jr, C-Bell, and Ty’s Teams After What Happened at the Gateway

Before the race, Bell had mentioned that he was aware of the strong competition he faces from seasoned drivers, including Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. 

Christopher Bell acknowledges intense competition from Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch

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Since Busch and Harvick have amassed a combined total of seven Cup Series wins at the track, it was only natural for the #20 Toyota Camry driver to be nervous. Harvick’s most recent triumph at New Hampshire came in 2019, while Busch’s came in 2017.

But having previously triumphed in the Xfinity Series races at the track in 2018, 2019, and 2021, Bell’s familiarity with the venue adds to his confidence. He is currently engaged in a tight battle for the points lead with drivers like William Byron, Busch, and Kyle Larson.

Acknowledging the capricious nature of racing at the track under difficult weather conditions and the diverse array of tactics teams might employ to seize an edge, he displays an astute understanding. There exist, as it stands, five playoff spots yearning to be claimed, presently occupied by the likes of Kevin Harvick, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, and Michael McDowell, who, incidentally, led the practice race. 

As the Crayon 301 approaches, Christopher Bell finds himself in a favorable starting position, hoping to leverage his pole position into a successful outcome. However, triumph still reigns as the supreme assurance, warranting a definite reservation within the playoffs.

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