NASCAR star Christopher Bell ”learned a lot” on his return to dirt racing ahead of the Chili Bowl race

Christopher Bell on his return to dirt racing with the Chilli Bowl Nationals, said that he learned a lot about the new cars that Keith Kunz-Curb Agajanian Motorsports is using for the race at Tulsa Motor Raceway. It was a learning experience for him when he was racking up laps in practice.

Christopher Bell drives the #20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing and has carved out a reputation for being a skillful, competitive, and consistent driver. He finished the 2024 season with three wins and a whopping 15 top-5 finishes. The Oklahoma native also won the prestigious "Great American Race"- Daytona 500 last time out. Bell will return to dirt racing and drive the #71W for the Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team in the 2025 Chilli Bowl Nationals.

When asked about how his practice laps went, Bell talked about how the Keith Kunz cars have changed since the last time he was with the team and the practice laps provided a learning that he needed before going in for the midget racing event.

"I learned a lot. And I did go run to Du Quin, Illinois, a couple of weeks ago. And one thing that I've learned is that the cars have changed. These cars have changed a lot since I drove them last. And I, you know, was pretty uncomfortable in the car," Bell said.

He went on to say that he needed to know this to adjust to the new cars and hopefully make an impact at the race.

"It just behaved differently than I was expecting it to. So there's going to be a little bit of an acclimation period for me in the car, for sure," he added.

The 30-year-old has a legacy at the Chilli Bowl Nationals because of an impeccable record of three wins in a row (2017, 2018, and 2019). Bell will be looking to add to that tally and outshine NASCAR greats like Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch who will also be behind the wheel for the "Superbowl of Midget Racing".

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Ty Gibbs thanks Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in candid interview ahead of Chili Bowl debut

Christopher Bell (20) passes driver Ty Gibbs (54) at Charlotte Motor Speedway - Source: Imagn

Ty Gibbs, a rising NASCAR star and grandson of the legendary Joe Gibbs, is set to make his debut at the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals, marking his first major foray into dirt racing. In a candid interview with FloRacing, Gibbs expressed gratitude to NASCAR superstars Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson for their guidance and support in preparing for the event. The 22-year-old said:

"I love racing. I'm a fan of it, but also being able to drive it, I'm very proud and happy to do that, so a lot of smiles, and Christopher's been really helpful to me, and Kyle's helped me out, too. So this has been, it's just so fun, and it's cool to see, you know, this world kind of welcoming me into it is really cool. I feel thankful for that, so I'm just having a fun time." [2:07 onwards]

Gibbs' admiration for Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson stems from their immense success in midget racing, with their expertise providing him with a solid foundation for his debut.