“We Gave It to William [Byron]” – Christopher Bell Optimistic Despite Handing Hendrick Motorsports Advantage

It is ironic that after winning 7 pole positions this season, Christopher Bell qualified outside the Top 10 for the final race in Phoenix. Joe Gibbs Racing’s #20 driver, marking his second Championship 4 appearance, only had one regret in this outcome.

In the 1-mile tri-oval, every second is a precious commodity and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron will now save several of them after a stellar qualifying performance.

Christopher Bell graciously conceded the coveted pit stall to William Byron 

William Byron struggled to maintain his points lead in Martinsville over Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin. But in a remarkable season comprising 6 wins and 14 Top 5 finishes, Byron was determined to prove he had earned his right to compete for the season’s title. With a qualifying speed of 132.597 mph, the #24 HMS star won his 4th Busch Light pole of the year. After finishing outside the Top 5 in the practice race earlier, Byron will now lead the field in the most crucial race of his career. However, his championship rival, Christopher Bell, was unperturbed by this significant advantage.

In the practice session on Friday, the #20 Rheem-DEWALT Camry driver posted the fastest 5- and 10-lap averages in his #20 Toyota Camaro. Unfortunately, Bell could not recreate that pace in the actual qualifying session, posting a speed of 132.338 mph. Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass enquired whether the JGR driver was optimistic or worried after his qualifying laps. Bell, who had won the playoff race in Homestead two weeks ago, with the same starting position, was confident about his preparation. But he admitted that the first pit stall awarded to pole winner Byron would have been an added benefit.

Bell responded, “Bob [Pockrass] I’m probably more optimistic because I’ve never won a race from the pole. Obviously, the pit stall is a great advantage, and we gave it to William [Byron], so congratulations on that [looking toward Byron]. Aside from that, I think the starting position is less of a factor because it is 312 laps. Yesterday in practice my car showed great pace, and that leaves me feeling very optimistic.”

In a reassuring note, he added, “Certainly, the whole weekend has gone a lot better than it did 12 months ago.”

However, his crew chief Adam Stevens felt differently after the Cup Series practice. 

Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 crew chief wanted a front-row start for Christopher Bell

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Ever since the championship race moved from Homestead-Miami Speedway to the Phoenix Raceway, the pole winner has also grabbed the checkered flag in the end. William Byron’s teammates Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson had won the pole and the titles for Hendrick Motorsports in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The same was true for last year’s Team Penske champion, Joey Logano.

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This season, Kyle Larson will start behind Byron in the second row. The remaining two championship contenders Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney are outside the Top 10, in 13th and 15th positions, respectively. The year before, Bell had qualified 17th in his first Championship 4 race and could only finish in 10th place. 

Joe Gibbs Racing’s #20 crew chief Adam Stevens had understandable concerns about the same occurring this year. Relieved after witnessing Bell’s pace during practice, Stevens admitted, “I don’t think we’re going to win this thing if we don’t lead laps. We just started so far off last time that it was a lot of ground to cover to even get in the mix. So starting closer just puts you in a lot better position.”

Would Christopher Bell be able to break the championship track record to surpass William Byron for his first Cup title? We will know in a few hours. 

Read More: William Byron’s Crew Chief Refuses to Downplay Ryan Blaney Despite Impressive Show in Practice