“How about that one, race fans?” asked Christopher Bell confidently after the race. His victory at the Shriners Children’s 500 was not just a fluke, it was a moment of greatness. Starting in 11th place, no one really expected him to win, but his options tire strategy had a different plan for him. By the time the final restart hit, he made Denny Hamlin look uncomfortable and caused a public outburst in frustration.

But little do fans know there was one incident before the race that might have just pushed Bell harder into winning the race.

The moment unfolded during the FS1 pre-race grid walk, one of those routine segments where reporters make their way through the lineup, stopping for quick interviews with the biggest names. Bell was standing right there. He wasn’t hiding, wasn’t preoccupied; he was right in the thick of it, ready to go. But instead of engaging with him, the broadcast team walked right past to chat with Denny Hamlin.

As NASCAR insider Eric Estepp revealed, “But now he’s becoming a more vocal leader He’s willing to get out in front of the camera I played that clip He’s willing to speak his mind I don’t know if y’all watch the FS1 pre-race show but when Chris Myers and Jamie McMurray were doing their grid walk they walked right past Christopher Bell to talk to Denny Hamlin And Belle jokingly said “Oh wow Y’all are walking right past me” huh Seriously I’ve been the guy at Joe Gibbs Racing for three years now. Not only is Christopher Bell confident behind the wheel but he’s confident on camera behind the microphone He’s becoming a vocal leader.

One thing is becoming increasingly clear: Bell is stepping into a leadership role at JGR, whether NASCAR is ready to acknowledge it or not. Since Kyle Busch’s departure, the team has been in a transition phase. Hamlin remains the veteran presence, but Bell is the one delivering results week after week. He put an end to their win drought that had lasted since New Hampshire. To add to that, in the last two years, Christopher Bell has managed to be on level terms with Hamlin when it comes to his stats.

In 2023, Hamlin had three wins compared to Bell’s two. In 2024, both drivers had the same number of wins at three. Come 2025 and Bell has already reached three in the first few races. Hamlin on the other hand has had a dismal start this year, with Phoenix being his best finish so far.  The irony? Bell had just beaten Hamlin in a dramatic photo-finish victory, securing his third straight win of the season. He wasn’t just another driver in the field; he was the guy to beat. With 105 laps led, his Phoenix win was historic, marking the closest Cup Series finish at the track since 2016. He held off Hamlin by 0.049 seconds,

Bell’s performances this season have been impossible to ignore. He’s been on a tear, winning back-to-back races in a way that no one else has in the Next Gen era, save for Kyle Larson back in 2021. Now, while the three-peat is exciting, Bell has the chance to enter an even more exclusive club. In the last six decades of NASCAR, only 8 drivers have managed to manage four straight wins in a row, and they have all been Hall of Famers. 

Now, while the issue seems trivial at the moment, there can be more to it. Even Coach Gibbs has his concerns about a rift emerging between the star drivers. “Nervous’ isn’t probably a good word for it. I was ready to upchuck,” Gibbs quipped. “One of the things I always worry about when we get two of our cars up there, because that can make for an intense meeting tomorrow at 2:00. I can tell you that. Hey, they raced it out. It looked like nobody took unfair advantage. Just appreciate that. I think for the last two weeks in a row, we’ve had great finishes to races with people having a chance to show their skill and yet get it done the right way.”

These concerns wouldn’t be too wild. Bell’s intent this season is very clear. “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.” If Hamlin doesn’t give himself this wake-up call, he might just follow in Mark Martin’s footsteps.

For years, NASCAR has been a sport that favors personalities as much as performance. If you can talk, the cameras will follow. But Bell is starting to realize that he might need to do more than just win races; he might need to start demanding the recognition he’s earned.

Christopher Bell guns for the Cup Series championship

In his sixth full-time NASCAR Cup season, Christopher Bell has his priorities clear: win his first Cup Series championship. And he’s doing a pretty good job so far. From intermediate speedways to road courses he has wins this season. But will that be all? Last season, the driver entered the playoffs with wins, but it was clear he was getting desperate at Martinsville. His wall ride eventually got him disqualified, but the intent was clear.

A few months and a positive start later, that same intent is starting to materialize. Speaking about his ambitions, Christopher Bell made one thing clear. He isn’t going to settle this season. “Everybody is grinning ear to ear and just trying to ride the wave. “I’ve raced long enough, not in the Cup Series, but throughout my life, that I know it comes in waves. There’s times where it feels like you can’t do anything right. There’s times where you feel like you can’t do anything wrong. We’re on that side of it now.”

Speaking about his next focus, the Pennzoil 400, Bell had a clear message. “I’m just going to keep living, keep living, riding it out as long as we can. We have a great opportunity next week going to Las Vegas. This part of the schedule lines up really good for me.”