Mark Martin Urges Team Owners to Embrace Grassroots Racing for Drivers

What makes a good driver? Is it success on the racetrack, or the ability to adapt to different motorsport disciplines? In the case of racers such as Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, it seems that both factors are equally applicable. Known for their immense talent and being able to push their cars to the maximum limit, the Cup Series competitors narrowly missed out on the Bill France Cup in 2024, despite showing immense consistency. Now, they are excelling during the off-season while plying their trade in dirt racing.

With Joe Gibbs Racing lifting its restrictions to allow Bell to compete, veteran driver Mark Martin is eager to see more team owners follow suit to allow other racers to be able to showcase their skills across different racing formats. Will team owners heed the 66-year-old’s advice and promote grassroots racing? Time will tell.

Mark Martin draws parallels between Bell and Larson

Christopher Bell had quite a NASCAR season in 2024. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver secured three wins in the Cup Series, showing immense consistency during the playoffs. Despite securing fifteen top-five results, the Oklahoman couldn’t break into Championship 4 and compete for the Bill France Cup at Phoenix Raceway. That may be more of an indication of the playoff format rather than Bell’s talent, but it’s hard not to overlook the fact that the 30-year-old struggled to secure a race win in his last 18 appearances at the highest level. His season ended with a penalty at Martinsville for attempting a Ross Chastain-esque wall ride in an attempt to gain spots and advance to the final round. However, his fortunes at the Tulsa Shootout have been quite different, as he held off Kyle Larson to win the non-wing outlaw feature for a thrilling victory.

Acknowledging Christopher Bell’s talent, Mark Martin candidly told YouTuber Chase Holden, “He, according to people that are really close to it that I know, friends of mine that know, say that he’s in the same zip code as Kyle Larson. And we need to see that on display so that we, if he doesn’t get results in Cup, there need to be some changes.” The 66-year-old veteran racer went on to say, “We need him out here racing dirt, showing us how brilliant of a driver he is so that when he goes through a lull in the Cup Series, he’s not forgotten. People look at it and say yeah, they just need to find some magic.”

Bell’s dirt racing triumphs will undoubtedly boost his confidence, especially after his fifth-place finish in the Cup Series. Giving credit where it’s due, Martin also said, “I want to thank Joe Gibbs. Thank you. We needed Christopher Bell on the dirt so bad because your career can get in a lull sometimes in NASCAR because the magic just doesn’t happen enough.” The Joe Gibbs Racing driver showing his skills across different motorsports disciplines will be an encouraging sign for his fans, who will hope his dirt racing form translates to success at NASCAR’s highest level as well.

Christopher Bell also thanked Joe Gibbs after his win at Tulsa and emphasized how happy he felt to be back and how much he missed dirt racing. “I’ve got four words. Thank you Joe Gibbs!” He said in the post-race interview. Speaking to Tyler Burnett later that week, he added, “It’s painful whenever it goes on and you’re not there. You want to be able to watch the races, it’s the atmosphere… You watch it at home on FloRacing, and you get the visuals, but you don’t get the atmosphere.”

With the Chili Bowl Nationals on the horizon, Christopher Bell will be aiming to win the ‘Super Bowl of Midget Racing’ for the fourth time in his career. The 30-year-old was sidelined by Joe Gibbs Racing’s controversial extracurricular racing ban for more than two years, but like a beast unleashed, the racer is determined to make up for the lost time with success on dirt tracks. Will Bell lift the iconic Golden Driller trophy once again, and can it propel him to achieve success in the Cup Series? Time will tell.

Is Christopher Bell improving NASCAR’s credibility with off-season success?

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Christopher Bell has spent half a decade plying his trade in the NASCAR Cup Series. In that time, the racing driver hasn’t finished above third in the driver standings, coming agonizingly close to lifting the coveted championship on two separate occasions (2022 and 2023). However, his lack of success at the sport’s highest level has given him somewhat of an underdog status, one that doesn’t align with his immense talent as seen in other motorsports disciplines. With the 30-year-old succeeding in the Tulsa Shootout’s Non-Winged Outlaw category, is he reinforcing NASCAR’s credibility in the eyes of fans?

A prominent NASCAR YouTuber certainly seems to think so. Sharing his thoughts about the matter, Eric Estepp said, “I’m glad Joe Gibbs allowed Christopher Bell to return to this event, return to his home state of Oklahoma. NASCAR desperately needs stars, and last night we saw Larson and Bell put their talent on full display. Bell is building his own brand, improving NASCAR’s credibility, and in turn, is boosting the popularity of the Cup Series team he drives for. I’m glad Joe Gibbs Racing seized the value in Bell running these kinds of events.”

After his Golden Driller triumph, Bell will now shift his attention to the Chili Bowl Nationals, where he will partner with Rheem Racing and Toyota. The team recently showcased their ride for the event on social media, prompting the Oklahoman to write, “Let’s go 👊” on X. The coverage will be done exclusively by FloRacing and qualifying will begin on January 13th while the championship finale will take place five days later.

Will Christopher Bell turn back the clock and succeed at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!