Toyota Racing – Christopher Bell
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 9, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Interstate Batteries/DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Do you still feel the same way about your move on the last lap?
“Yeah, I think that. I hate calling the last lap a move, because it was not a move. My intentions were never to ride the wall. I didn’t gain an advantage riding the wall, so it was not a move. I don’t believe that I broke the rule.”
How do you process the last week for yourself?
“I feel cheated. I feel cheated out of a chance to compete for a championship. It all stems from what happened earlier – 15, 20 to go, whenever the race got fixed, and manipulated by Chevrolet, that forced our hands to do what we did and ultimately, it forced me into a mistake on the last lap to get into the wall. I feel like I should have never been in that situation had the race been ran fairly, the 24 (William Bryon) would have lost enough spots to get me into the final race.”
Do you feel like you should be in the Championship 4? Do you feel like Bryon should be penalized?
“I feel like I should be in the Championship 4 – yes. So, in the race, when the manipulation happened – it was clear that I needed a position. With the 23 (Bubba Wallace) falling back, we got that position and whenever we crossed the finish line, the 20 car was in. So, with the cards that were dealt, the 20 car was in position to make the championship event, and we are not in it.”
If you win on Sunday, will it be the most conflicting win you’ve ever felt?
“Yeah, it is definitely going to be tough. No matter how it goes. You want to do well, and we are going to put our best foot forward to do well, but if we do well, and have a successful weekend, then it is going to be even more of bummer and a disappointment, so yeah, it is a very perplexing feeling going into this weekend, and one that I hope I never have again.”
What is the motivation this weekend then?
“The motivation is simple. There is still a lot on the line, there is a lot of money on the line, and we have partners that have paid to be on the 20 car for this race. The list just goes on and on, right? We have – whatever it is – 600 employees at Joe Gibbs Racing that put effort into this race car, and so, it is unfair if I, and my team, don’t put our best foot forward to try and do the best that we can. There is a lot on the line and there should be more on the line.”
At what point were you made of the points situation?
“I was not aware of the points situation until the closing laps. I was informed with probably 20-25 to go that the 24 (William Bryon) was bleeding positions and it appeared at that point that we were going to be fine and be good on points. As the run continued, I actually got visuals on the 24 car, and saw him backing the field up, and it was probably 10 to go when I realized what was going on, and that the 24 was indeed done bleeding positions, so I thought at that point that my race was over – I didn’t know that the 23 (Bubba Wallace) car was a spot for me until the last lap. I knew that I had to pass him, and I got by him into turn three and unfortunately, I slid into wall.”
Could you see the manipulation going on?
“I could very clearly see the race manipulation and the race fixing that was going on.”
With you feeling cheated, how long is this feeling going to stick with you?
“Yeah, it is tough. This has been one of the hardest things that I have had to go through as a race car driver. I believe cheated is the right word. We go through sessions at the beginning of the year to make sure that we don’t do this, and that unfortunately, is what happened, and I was on the losing side of it.”
Is it fair to say that you have a chip on your shoulder and how long is it going to last?
“I mean, yeah, I’m bummed and disappointed, so yeah, I guess, I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. It is just for this weekend. That is one thing that I’m grateful of – it’s not the Round of 8. It’s not the Round of 12, so I don’t have to go weeks after this. As soon as Sunday is over, I can close the book, and we can focus on 2025 and trying to be in a better position going into that championship race or the cutoff race at Martinsville. I’m incredibly bummed that it came down to that.”
Is there anything that you can say to NASCAR or anything you want to hear?
“It’s definitely – I don’t know how to answer that question. We all know how and if we are putting 100 percent effort into a race, and I don’t know what the answer is, but something has to change to get us out of this box that we are in of manufacturer help and manipulating races to help guys get certain positions. It is not right racing, and it is not fair.”
Will what happened affect how you race in Daytona and Talladega?
“I don’t envy the situation that we are in because talking about team racing, that has been a staple of speedway racing for a long time, and I don’t know what the answer is, especially when it comes to the superspeedway races, but I don’t know have the answer to that, but it definitely happens a lot in those races as well. We saw the same thing at Talladega as well with the 5 (Kyle Larson) lifting coming into the tri-oval, so there is a lot of it that goes behind the scenes.”
Do you think the drivers should have been suspended?
“I don’t think it is my place to speak on what should or shouldn’t happen with the penalties, but the penalties didn’t make right by me, who lost out on the actions that happened on the track.”
Do you think there should have been an opportunity for you to appeal the ruling?
“I think that the rule language needs to be a little bit more clearly defined, and less gray area. I think it needs to be more clearly defined and less gray area.”
What do those sessions include?
“It is just about keeping the sport’s integrity intact, and not manipulating races to change the outcome of the race.”
Is that a NASCAR thing or a Toyota thing?
“No, that is a NASCAR thing. It is not an OEM thing. It is a NASCAR thing.”
Format wise, do you think there is anything that could be done there to help the situation that happened last weekend?
“I think there are a lot of changes that can happen format wise to help the way the races play out. I think all of them need to be looked at and changes need to be made.”
Any specific solutions do you want to offer?
“I think there needs to be a lot of thought into what happens, but certainly, I feel like the wins are – I don’t know – the fact that we had three bottom tier winners in the round of 8 that led to the Championship 4 that we have today. I don’t know what the answer is, but I think a lot of thought needs to be put into it, but I do feel like changes need to be made.”
How will you reflect on the 2024 season?
“Finally, a positive question (laughter). This 2024 season has been the best in my career across all forms of the statistics – more top-10’s, more top-fives, more laps led. That is something that we tried to put emphasis on going into 2024, coming off our 2022, 2023, being in the championship race, but feeling like we didn’t perform at our highest. Even leaving 2024, I feel like it is more the same, that I feel like we left a lot on the table. I’m happy and pleased that I’ve set career highs for myself, and I’m hopeful and optimistic that I can keep breaking those barriers – winning more races, leading more laps, winning more stages, more top-10s, more top-fives.”
How do you handle this weekend?
“At least from standpoint – I’m not going to speak on the team – but for me, it is really easy. It doesn’t matter what my mental state, whenever I put the helmet on and get in the car, I have been able to turn off everything that is going on around me, and focus on the task at hand, and frankly, I look forward to that. Practice was fun. Practice was fun. I got to get into my zone and drive a race car. Qualifying will be fun, and then the race will be fun. It is all of the stuff outside of the car where you are not in race car driver mode that is not fun, and heartbreaking and disappointment. I look forward to putting my helmet on and getting out of the world and getting in my race car.”
If there was extended penalties that could have come as part of race manipulation, would they not have also extend to you and your team?
“Yeah, absolutely, but we shouldn’t have ever been in that spot in the first place, and that is what I go back to. If the race had been run fairly, there would not have been any manipulation on either side. Our hands were forced by hands of our other competitors, and yeah.”
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