“There’s a lot to race for”: Christopher Bell approves NASCAR pulling Darlington out of playoffs spot on the calendar

Christopher Bell recently voiced his support for NASCAR's revised schedule that moved Darlington out of the playoff lineup. He believes shifting the Cook Out Southern 500 from the first race of the playoffs to the finale of the regular season could ramp up the competition.

Bell has competed multiple times at Darlington but has yet to secure a win on the historic track. Previously, the second race at Darlington was part of the playoffs. Reflecting on the change to position the Cook Out Southern 500 at the end of the regular season, Christopher Bell said (via journalist Toby Christie on X):

"It's, it is actually nice to have the Southern 500 out of the playoffs. The Southern 500 is obviously a really, really big deal. It's a crown jewel event. But with it being the first race of the playoffs like it has hurt, like it was the last couple years. (0:24)

"It did feel like you had to be a little bit cautious racing that event because going through some important. Whereas now with it being the regular season finale and not in the playoffs, I do feel like we could be a little bit more aggressive and try and go all out for a race when at a ground duel," Bell added.

Last year, Kyle Larson won his first-ever Darlington race, marking the start of the NASCAR playoffs. He dominated 55 laps and ultimately seized the checkered flag on a track where he has led a total of 785 laps. Meanwhile, in the same event — the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway — Christopher Bell crossed the finish line in P23 place.

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Christopher Bell's 2024 NASCAR Cup season overview

Christopher Bell has had a notable season so far, securing victories at Phoenix, Charlotte, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He's aiming to stay competitive in the upcoming races and has racked up finishes in the top 10 as many as 14 times.

However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing for Bell this year. He's encountered six DNFs (Did Not Finish) and finished eight races outside the top 30. This is the first season since his Cup Series debut in 2020 that the 29-year-old has won three races this early. Additionally, it's the first time he's ended eight races outside the top 30.

Trey Ryan recently pointed out on X that Bell has recorded the most finishes of 30th or worse this year since his Cup Series debut. Christopher Bell finished five races in 30th place or worse in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2023, the number dropped to four. But this year, he has finished eight races in 30th place or beyond, which is just one less than Josh Berry, who leads the field in the unwanted statistic.