Christopher Bell eyes NASCAR championship as season finale returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway
With just two races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series season, driver Christopher Bell is hoping to turn a strong year into a championship when the season finale returns to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 8.
Bell, who currently sits third in the points standings, visited the CBS Miami studios this week alongside the NASCAR championship trophy to discuss his season, the competition ahead and what it would mean to take home the sport's biggest prize.
"This is the grand prize for sure, and you just hope that whenever you get to the end of the season that you're still in contention," Bell told CBS Miami's Mike Cugno. "So here we are with a couple races left, and my 20 team still there. So that's all you can ask for."
Before heading to South Florida for the championship race, Bell and the rest of the field will compete this weekend at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
With the championship within reach, Bell said his approach is to take risks and push for every available point.
"Right now, I'm in third position and going to be gunning for that top spot," Bell said. "So we're going to every race with nothing to lose, everything to gain."
Bell looks to build on a strong season
Bell has remained among the top contenders throughout the season, recording a win and several second-place finishes that have helped keep him in the championship hunt.
While finishing second can be frustrating, Bell said those results have put him in a position to compete for the title.
"Those seconds, while they are very disappointing in the moments, it all led to me being in contention for this championship today," Bell said.
Bell drives the No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, which currently has three drivers sitting second, third and fourth in the points standings.
That success has also created some friendly competition within the organization.
"We're teammates on Monday through Friday, and then Saturday, Sunday, we are every man for themselves," Bell said. "So it makes for some pretty interesting competition meetings whenever we're all three competing for the win."
What makes Homestead-Miami Speedway special?
Bell is no stranger to success at Homestead-Miami Speedway, a track he described as one of the most exciting on the NASCAR schedule.
According to Bell, the track's slick surface forces drivers to constantly adjust their racing lines as their tires wear down, creating opportunities for passing throughout a race.
"This racetrack is so special because it is the slickest track that we have on the schedule," Bell said.
He explained that drivers often begin a run near the bottom of the track before gradually moving toward the outside wall as their tires lose grip.
"Passing there is super easy, and that's what we love as drivers," Bell said.
A championship would be more than a dream come true
Despite the pressure of competing for a championship, Bell found time for some lighter moments during his visit to CBS Miami.
A Detroit Lions fan, Bell joked with Cugno about sharing a similar name with Miami Dolphins player Chris Bell and which of them would be faster on the football field or racetrack.
"You put me on the field, he'll probably be faster. You put him on the racetrack, I'll be faster," Bell joked.
But when the conversation returned to the championship trophy sitting beside him, Bell made it clear just how much winning the title would mean.
"I would say dream come true, but this guy right here probably be better than a dream come true," Bell said.
The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Bell hopes to cap off his season by lifting the trophy.