"I would rather have a five-second lead": Christopher Bell cherishes surprise victories but wouldn't actively go searching for them

NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway last weekend, Christopher Bell has been associated with a certain Kevin Harvick in the sport.

Bell has proven to have the same skills as "The Closer" made a name for years ago. He has managed to clinch victory in clutch situations such as the second race of the Round of 8.

The 4EVER 400 at the 1.5-mile-long intermediate oval in Florida saw the #20 Toyota Camry TRD driver sit out of the top four spots in the playoff standings. With only one more race to go after last week, Christopher Bell was not in a must-win situation. However, he was perilously close, as close as a driver and team would ever want to be.

The 28-year-old overcame a difficult-to-drive car in the second stage of the 400-mile-long race. He managed to pull one out of the bag as his crew made adjustments to his car.

With Kyle Larson bringing out the yellow flag and simultaneously knocking himself out of the race, Christopher Bell did not need a second invitation.

The Norman, Oklahoma native, however, elaborated on how he would prefer to win in much less stressful conditions, telling motorsport.com:

"I certainly thrive on pressure, and I love it. I live for those type of moments. It didn’t work last week, and that really, really hurt me. I don’t want to be put in those positions. It’s not like I sit here and try to be put in a pinch."

"I would rather be the regular-season champion and be able to cruise in on points. I don’t want to have to be put in those positions. But I do live for those moments. I love being great or trying to be great, I should say."

In a display of heartfelt emotion, Christopher Bell certainly will be looking to maximize his upcoming two races as he prepares to challenge for the title this year.

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Christopher Bell looks back at last season's Charlotte Roval race

Going into the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Christopher Bell found himself in a similar position as he did this year. Bound to get eliminated from the Round of 12, Bell went into the Charlotte Roval race with the goal of winning and he did just that this year.

He looked back at the situation as he heads into the final Round of 8 race at Martinsville this year, already having qualified for the final 4. He told motorsports.com:

“To come into the Charlotte road course (last year), I’ve said this a million times, in a must-win situation, when we sucked on road courses all year, to have the car capability we had. We’ve been really blessed and fortunate to be able to execute in these positions."

"I’m just proud of the effort from everybody around me because I’m just a small piece of what the success is.”

Watch Christopher Bell race in the final Round of 8 race this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.