“It’s more so about winning”: Christopher Bell highlights his changed approach for Daytona 500 amid more ‘established’ role at JGR

Christopher Bell recently talked about how different racing at the track is at the Daytona 500. He compared his approach to what it was when he set out on the quest for glory to now when he has built a reputation for himself.

Christopher Bell, a prominent driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, is gearing up to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500. During Wednesday's practice sessions, Bell showcased promising speed, clocking a fastest lap time of 49.139 seconds. He has spoken about the complexities of navigating the high-stakes, on-track environment during Speedweeks, the intense period leading up to the main event.

Bell spoke about his changed approach towards the Great American Race from when he first made his debut to now that he is more of a household name.

"Yeah, I mean, certainly from my first one back in 2020, you know, I remember it was just all about, you know, getting a good finish and starting the season off strong. And now that I'm a little bit more established in my role, like it's your understanding, or I don't want to say understanding because you understood back then, but it's more so about winning the Daytona 500 now," the 30 year old said to NASCAR.

Renowned NASCAR analyst and talk show host Claire B Lang tweeted a video of the same with the caption:

"To me just fly on the wall (fans what do you think?) @CBellRacing has just gained so much visible confidence.....headed into this #DAYTONA500"

The Daytona 500 is an iconic 500-mile NASCAR Cup Series season-opening race held at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Christopher Bell is listed with +2200 odds to win the 2025 Daytona 500. Among the contenders is William Byron, the reigning champion looking to defend his title. Kyle Larson enters the event as a pre-race favorite, generating considerable buzz and anticipation.

---

Christopher Bell shared honest response when asked about NASCAR rule changes regarding teams’ “shenanigans”

Christopher Bell (20) during the Clash at Bowman Gray at Bowman Gray Stadium - Source: Imagn

Christopher Bell has voiced his support for NASCAR's stricter rules against race manipulation, referring to past incidents as "shenanigans". This comes after Bell felt he was cheated out of a championship opportunity at Martinsville due to alleged race manipulation by other teams. He hopes NASCAR will quickly enforce these new rules during races to ensure fair competition.

“I like the rule change, going from the 100% rule to changing the wording to manipulation," he said [via NBC Sports].

“Hopefully, if NASCAR sees any of those shenanigans going on, they’re going to make a call in the heat of the moment to fix it. That’s all that I can ask for," Bell added.

The new rules include harsher penalties for manipulation, such as loss of manufacturer points and reduced wind tunnel testing. Bell believes NASCAR needs to proactively address situations where teams prioritize helping teammates over their own race, ensuring all drivers give 100% effort.