JGR installs ‘a process’ allowing a potential Christopher Bell vs. Kyle Larson showdown

Christopher Bell has not run dirt races in the past few years because his NASCAR Cup Series team, Joe Gibbs Racing, forbade drivers under its banner from running races outside of NASCAR, especially in Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Micros. But things are going to change.

JGR has recently revamped its policy about the drivers competing in not just dirt but other forms of races as well. This could mean that Bell might stand off against Kyle Larson, better known as the “wheelman” in the arena of dirt racing, sometime in the future. A thrilling news indeed for the fans of both the old dirt track rivals.

“We sort of talked things over to come up with a process by which they can request to run certain races,” team owner Joe Gibbs said in an interview with The Athletic. “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.”

As per FloRacing, Bell has not run a single dirt race since the end of 2022. However, this has not been the case for Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports ace has made several appearances at dirt tracks and amassed multiple victories, including triumphs in the prestigious Chili Bowl, Kings Royal, Prairie Dirt Classic, and the Knoxville Nationals.

Notably, Bell is a three-time Chili Bowl Nationals champion. Now, the question is, what are Bell’s chances against the versatile racer from Elk Grove?

“See you guys at a dirt track soon,” Bell posted yesterday on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Does that mean the racing aficionados will see Bell compete at the Tulsa shootout from December 31st through January 4th? Richard Childress Racing driver Kyle Busch has already announced his entry in that race. Will Larson hop on as well? One can only speculate for now.

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Christopher Bell hopes to have an “impactful” career like his ex-teammate Martin Truex Jr.

Following a 19-year stint in the Cup Series, Martin Truex Jr. retired from full-time racing just recently. He is expected to race occasionally but never on a full-time schedule.

The veteran racer is a highly respected figure in NASCAR. After finishing 17th in the Championship race at Phoenix on November 10, Truex Jr. was congratulated on his stellar career by Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon and even NBA legend Michael Jordan, who owns 23XI Racing alongside Bell's other teammate, Denny Hamlin.

Christopher Bell, who is fresh out of his fifth season with Joe Gibbs Racing, wants to follow in the footsteps of Truex Jr. He even considers him an idol.

“For me, Martin has always been an idol of mine,” Bell said of his ex-teammate (via motorcycle sports.net). “I want to be similar to him. Martin Truex does things his way, and I’ve always cherished that about him.”

“Martin is an idol who always stayed true to himself. I hope to follow in his footsteps and have a career as impactful as his,” Bell added.

Martin Truex Jr. amassed 34 victories in the Cup Series throughout his career. He will make a one-off appearance in the 2025 Daytona 500. However, his ride is yet to be confirmed.