It’s the perfect rivalry. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have shared plenty of battles on the racetrack, but the NASCAR drivers have nothing but respect for each other off it. Whether it’s oval tracks or dirt racing, both the heavyweights have pushed each other to the limit plenty of times before, with the result going either way more often than not. Even though the off-season is in full flow, Bell and Larson will be continuing their rivalry at the Chili Bowl Nationals thanks to Joe Gibbs Racing’s change in policy.

After their tussle at the Tulsa Shootout, both drivers will be aiming for bragging rights at the ‘Super Bowl of Midget Racing’. Who will emerge victorious at the SageNet Center dirt oval in Tulsa, Oklahoma?

Kyle Larson enjoys competing against Christopher Bell

Healthy rivalries do exist, just ask Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell. Both the drivers compete for two of the finest NASCAR teams: Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, and are fighting for race wins almost every week. The competition doesn’t just end when the Cup Series season comes to an end, as the off-season allows both the racers to ply their trade in different motorsports disciplines, specifically on dirt. Both of them have won the Chili Bowl Nationals multiple times, Larson twice in 2020 and 2021, and Bell thrice from 2017-2019. However, they haven’t competed against each other in the ‘biggest Midget race of the year’ for years.

Sharing his thoughts about the rivalry ahead of the Chili Bowl Nationals, Kyle Larson told FloRacing, “For the last 12 years, we have competed with each other. Frequently. We’ve both pushed each other to get here and I think it is good for any athlete to have that person or persons to push you and I think we push each other. We’ve had a lot of great battles, he’s probably come out on top probably more often than me, at least back in the day. He had this stint where he wasn’t allowed to race which was nice on me for sure.”

Joe Gibbs Racing had imposed a two-year dirt racing ban on its drivers to prevent injuries, a decision that hurt Bell more than his colleagues in the team. The Oklahoman’s roots in the motorsports discipline run deep, but for years he couldn’t compete in the iconic Tulsa Shootout or the Chili Bowl Nationals. However, the decision was overturned ahead of the 2025 season, as the team introduced a second driver in its roster with a dirt racing background, while Ty Gibbs also expressed his interest in competing at the Chili Bowl Nationals. As for Bell, the 30-year-old couldn’t contain his excitement to compete in micro-sprints once again, going on to say, “I grew up running these things, and I love them.”

Dirt racing is more than just a hobby for Christopher Bell, who made a triumphant return to the Tulsa Shootout by defeating Kyle Larson in the Non-Winged Outlaw category. Despite the result, ‘Yung Money’ is happy to see his rival back in action as well, going on to say, “As a fan of the sport and a competitor who wants to get better, I’m grateful that he’s back racing dirt.” Both drivers will be hungry for success at the Chili Bowl Nationals after narrowly missing out on a spot in the Championship 4 in the Cup Series.

Kenny Wallace hails Bell and Larson’s rivalry

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It’s a rivalry that has gone on for ages. Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell have been competing against each other on dirt tracks for years and picked up where they left off in the Tulsa Shootout. Competing in the Non-Winged category, Bell started the 55-lap feature on the front row but was soon challenged by Larson, who climbed the grid despite starting in 14th place. Despite the two battling for bragging rights, it was the Joe Gibbs Racing driver who eventually emerged victorious after making a big run off of Turn 4 in the end.

Veteran driver Kenny Wallace thoroughly enjoyed the race and said, “Bell vs. Larson. Oh my God, it did not disappoint. These are the two greatest NASCAR drivers of our era, it’s Kyle Larson vs. C Bell.” The 61-year-old went on to say, “That’s the rivalry we’ve all been looking for. It ain’t that they hate each other. They both are from the same type of motorsports, they’re both open-wheel guys and they’re both really talented.”

The sentiment was echoed by Christopher Bell as well, who told FloRacing, “Kyle and I, we’ve obviously been fierce competitors and we’ve had a lot of great races, a lot of heartbreaking losses from both of our sides.” With both drivers having age on their sides, fans have plenty of more on-track battles between them to look forward to. Both drivers will be hoping to taste success during the off-season, so that they can hit the ground running in the Cup Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February.