We all know the smiling, courteous look on one of Joe Gibbs’ Cup Series stars. Christopher Bell sports that disarming happy face in front of the media. But behind that smile lies the spirit of a fierce racer, which comes out on the racetrack. Bell won three Cup Series races this year and barely missed the Championship 4. This motorsports passion originated in Bell’s dirt racing roots – he is the only racer to have won the Chili Bowl Nationals three times (2017, 2018, 2019).

Now as he gears up for a return to dirt after two years, more laurels are on the way. Christopher Bell’s unquestionable talent and the far-reaching dirt interests in JGR ultimately convinced Joe Gibbs to allow off-NASCAR activities. Bell also convinced his sprint car team owner of his inherently good nature.

Christopher Bell dazzles before the race

Well, NASCAR drivers are usually known for their short tempers. They compete on a variety of racetracks, but the narrow lanes of short tracks especially can result in flaring tempers. However, Christopher Bell belongs to a select group of racers who can keep their calm. Even when he was on the verge of crashing out in the 2023 Homestead-Miami race. He almost got lapped by the leader but refrained from showing his emotions – as yelling and cursing on the radio is normal in NASCAR. Instead, Bell waited for his opportunity, which was a late-race caution, and took the lead with 15 laps to go.

This calm demeanor enthralled Kreitz Racing No. 69K team owner Don Kreitz. Christopher Bell is scheduled to make his first 410 winged sprint car start since June 2022 with this team. The first event he would venture on will be Feb. 5’s DIRTcar Nationals at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park with the World of Outlaws. Then March 13’s Kubota High Limit Racing season opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is also on the schedule. Kreitz said that “if everything goes OK” with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver on Feb. 5 at Volusia, they’ll race on Feb. 6 at Volusia as well. However, he is already convinced that Bell will not disappoint.

“It’s amazing. It’s hard to believe that it’s really going to happen,” Kreitz said of having Christopher Bell wheel his iconic blue-and-orange No. 69K sprint car. Bell’s last race in a 410 Sprint Car was a 2022 PA Speedweek event at Port Royal Speedway. Now that fellow dirt racer Chase Briscoe has become another JGR driver, Joe Gibbs has opened the gates to dirt for his drivers. Joe Gibbs banned drivers from taking part in events outside NASCAR for nearly two years until it was uplifted for 2025.

Kreitz further continued that Bell’s amicable attitude makes things a whole lot easier. “Naturally he’s one of the top drivers in the world as far as being able to run different stuff and run good in everything. He’s really versatile.” Kreitz added a 6-word verdict: “He was raised right, very polite.”

Indeed, Christopher Bell confessed that he deliberately espouses a courteous attitude while racing.

Keeping calm even in chaos

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NASCAR is infamous for its on-track conflicts and pit brawls. The 2024 season witnessed a few of them. The first incident that would probably come to your mind is the All-Star race debacle. After getting spun out by Kyle Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. waited on pit road. Then post-race, a feisty fistfight followed. Then in Nashville, Carson Hocevar spun out Harrison Burton’s car on purpose. However, Christopher Bell engages in none of such dramatic spectacles. He believes in efficiency and maximum output, focusing only on those factors that can fetch him wins. No wonder he is already a 9-time Cup Series race winner.

When Bell’s hopes seemingly faded in the 2023 Homestead race, his crew chief Adam Stevens dropped a warning. He asked Bell to try and “fight hard”, and the No. 20 Toyota driver replied with cutting sarcasm, “Okay, I’ll start trying.” However, Bell regretted even this small jab later. “I mean, that’s not my style. Myself, my engineers, my crew chief, the pit crew—we all have a common goal. It’s not like we’re out there competing against each other. I feel like a lot of teams make it feel that way, where it’s the driver versus the crew chief. Our team has never been like that, and I don’t want it to be. I felt bad for snapping at him.”

However, Bell has let his disappointment in the outcome of the race come out on the team radio. Notable after Joey Logano pulled off a fuel mileage masterclass in Las Vegas this year. Bell dominated the playoff race for the most part, leading 155 laps in the 267-lap race. However, he pitted 35 laps later than Logano and was not able to make up the nearly 30-second advantage Logano held on track after Bell’s stop. Logano edged out Bell by 0.662 seconds, securing his spot in the Championship 4. “You’ve got to be f—ing kidding me!” Bell lashed out on the team radio as he watched his Championship 4 hopes fizzle.

So, there is a feisty character behind his calm demeanor off the track, however, he rarely lets it out on his team. This precision to keep his senses about him might be Christopher Bell’s secret ingredient. And this might help him add more dirt racing laurels to his resume soon.