LAS VEGAS (AP) — Christopher Bell is still amazed that seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson acknowledges his existence. Getting a text message from the Hall of Famer after his recent victories at Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, and Phoenix has left Bell ecstatic. As he prepares for the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Bell hopes for another message from Johnson, who has been in touch after each of his wins. Bell, aiming to secure a fourth consecutive Cup Series win, recognizes the rarity of this achievement in NASCAR’s modern era, with only eight drivers having accomplished this feat since 1972.
Having won three races in a row, Bell’s streak is the longest in the Cup Series since Kyle Larson’s achievements in 2021. Bell is the first to achieve this in NASCAR’s Next Gen car introduced in 2022. Previous drivers who have won four consecutive races include Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, Bill Elliott, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, and Johnson.
Despite his recent success, Bell remains cautious about his chances at Las Vegas, emphasizing the need to stay focused and perform well. While he has a strong track record at the venue, Bell understands the challenges ahead and is not taking anything for granted.
Bell had been eager to make his debut in the Larson-owned High Limit Racing series this weekend in Las Vegas after the ban on extracurricular racing was lifted by team owner Joe Gibbs. However, adverse weather conditions caused the event to be postponed multiple times, ultimately leading to Bell’s withdrawal from the lineup. Bell and his crew chief made a mutual decision to prioritize the Cup Series race and forego the dirt event on Saturday.
Bell mentioned that finding a replacement driver for the race might be challenging. He indicated that he is currently avoiding scheduling races on Saturdays and expressed gratitude towards the Gibbs management group for allowing him to carefully select the races he competes in, a decision made in consultation with Adam. Meanwhile, Michael McDowell secured Spire Motorsports’ first pole position in the Cup Series during Saturday’s qualifying session. McDowell, a former Daytona 500 champion, is in his debut season with Spire, a team that has notably progressed following an increase in funding from new majority owner Dan Towriss. McDowell’s impressive qualifying lap in a Chevrolet outpaced Joey Logano and Austin Cindric in Team Penske Fords, with Kyle Busch and Erik Jones following closely behind. In other news, Larson is favored by BetMGM Sportsbook at +400, with Bell at +450. Larson, the defending race winner, and Logano, the winner of last fall’s race, are notable competitors. Additionally, the field includes three Las Vegas natives: Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson, and Riley Herbst. For more auto racing updates, visit AP auto racing at https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing.
