Will Christopher Bell ever run in the Indy 500? Everything you need to know about the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s prospects as owner makes a U-turn

Christopher Bell recently completed his fourth Cup Series season with Joe Gibbs Racing, wrapping up the year in fifth place. The #20 Toyota driver has raked in nine wins, 46 top-5s, and 85 top-10 finishes thus far. He would've battled for his maiden title this season but his final lap move became the reason for his disqualification from the Championship 4 race.

Bell recently expressed that he would love to run in the Indy 500 but the circumstances won't allow for the time being. This comes after Joe Gibbs changed his stance recently. Under Mr. Gibbs, the drivers were restricted from dirt racing as the team owner was stern that he wanted his drivers to focus on NASCAR.

But he made a U-turn and has allowed his drivers to run certain dirt races which they would mutually agree upon. The team owner also said that the opportunities may be extended to other branches of motorsports as well.

That being said, Christopher Bell said he wants to run in the Indy 500. However, Toyota left the IndyCar Series in 2005 and without the Japanese manufacturer's backing, it won't be feasible for Bell to compete in the open-wheel racing. The JGR driver said (via Sportsnaut),

“Yeah, for sure. If Toyota was interested in that, I would be raising my hand to do it. They haven’t been (just) a huge part of my career, they have been my career...I would love if they would do it, and I’d be the first one to raise my hand to do it."

If Bell were to materialize his Indy 500 stint, he would meet Kyle Larson as the Hendrick Motorsports driver has confirmed a second attempt at the Indy-Charlotte Double.

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Joe Gibbs' U-turn on not letting Christopher Bell & Co. compete in other forms of racing

It's worth mentioning that since Christopher Bell joined JGR he hasn't participated in any dirt racing event. The team has three drivers on the roster, Denny Hamlin, Bell, and the latest addition, Chase Briscoe.

Hamlin neither has dirt racing experience nor has he expressed a desire to venture into it. However, Bell and Briscoe are connected to dirt racing. The latter owns a World of Outlaws Sprint Car team, Chase Briscoe Racing. Thus, two out of three drivers boast dirt racing roots and have expressed a willingness to take part in dirt racing.

Joe Gibbs said about the change in his policy (via the Athletic),

"Always preferred (drivers’) focus remain on racing in NASCAR but felt it was fair to come up with a process to consider those opportunities. We sort of talked things over to come up with a process by which they can request to run certain races. If they get approval from everyone they need on our competition side, then they are free to run the race. That includes dirt, but also potentially other forms of racing."

Following a green flag from the team owner, Christopher Bell sent a message across the paddock that he would be seeing his rivals on the dirt track soon.

Bell is a dominant driver in dirt racing as well. He is a three-time Chili Bowl National champion, bagging the titles consecutively beginning in 2017.