"More to come" from Road America runner-up Bell after bad run
Christopher Bell believes there is "more to come" from his Joe Gibbs Racing team in the run-up to the NASCAR Cup series playoffs, after finishing second at Road America.
The 26-year-old scored his maiden Cup win on the Daytona road course earlier this year, but had endured a disappointing run of form with just five further top-10 finishes in the following 17 points-paying races prior to Road America.
Bell had a gradual rise up the order in Sunday's race, earning a penalty for driving through too many pit boxes while pitting under caution between Stages 1 and 2.
But by lap 59 of 62, he had worked his way up to second and in the final laps was running lap times on par with race winner Chase Elliott, although was too far behind to make an impression on the Hendrick Motorsports driver and finished 5.7s adrift.
Bell’s second-place finish was his first top-five since he took fourth at Richmond back in April.
“It’s been a trying last two months, but we feel like we’re getting back on track,” he said.
“There’s no reason why we can’t be running up front every week.
“Last week at Pocono we had a car capable of finishing in the top-five [but] it didn’t happen.
“Nashville we were okay [but] aside from that, I don’t know, we just haven’t been very fast.
“The last couple weeks, I’ve been really proud of the progress we’ve made and I'm excited for the future. I know there’s more to come.”
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Sirius XM
Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
JGR team-mate Denny Hamlin continues to lead the points standings after his fifth place finish at Road America, but is yet to win a race this season. Fellow JGR drivers Kyle Busch, who finished third, and Martin Truex Jr (ninth) are also in playoff contention with two and three wins respectively.
All four road course races so far this season have been won by either Joe Gibbs Racing (one) or Hendrick (three) drivers, which gives Bell confidence for the remainder of the season.
“I wouldn’t have expected my first win to come at a road course, that’s for sure,” Bell said.
“Last year in the Cup Series, the road course races were probably my best races speed-wise.
“I feel like we have been bringing really good Camrys to the road courses and it’s definitely a good package for JGR right now.”
Related video
NASCAR Road America: Elliott returns to form with win
Is it now or never for Kevin Harvick's 2021 NASCAR Cup season at Atlanta?
Why physical fitness is an understimated challenge for IndyCar rookies
The lack of in-car physical fitness is an “underestimated” hurdle for an IndyCar Series rookie, according to Dale Coyne Racing's Indy Lights graduate Sting Ray Robb.
Bubba Wallace ‘got dumped’ by Austin Dillon in NASCAR Clash
Bubba Wallace says Austin Dillon “dumped” him out of second place in NASCAR’s chaotic Busch Light Clash at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday night.
Albon warns Williams has "long road ahead" to recover in F1
Alex Albon admits that his Williams Formula 1 team has a “long road ahead” as it tries to progress up the field this year.
Toyota won’t put more pressure on Katsuta at WRC Rally Sweden
Toyota World Rally Championship boss Jari-Matti Latvala says the team won’t "put more pressure" on Takamoto Katsuta to deliver in his first drive for the factory team this weekend.
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his team-mate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson’s journey to the 2021 NASCAR Cup title comes straight from the Hollywood blockbuster scripts. While Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines for both the right and the wrong reasons
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup Series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.