At 28 years old, NASCAR driver Christopher Bell has been with Team Toyota for more than 11 years.
Bell, who competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, drives the No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. After an unsteady start to the 2022 season, Bell won enough critical playoffs to make his first Cup Series Championship 4.
“This is definitely one of the highlights of my life,” Bell says. “I’m just so incredibly thankful to be here at Joe Gibbs Racing with all our partners, including Toyota and TRD [Toyota Racing Development]. You guys have believed in me since day one.”
With Toyota by his side, Bell is chasing a title in 2023.
“It’s a dream come true,” Bell declares. “I’m a race fan — I want to be known as a racer.”
#20: Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, DeWalt Toyota Camry
An Early Start
Bell, an Oklahoma native, got his start on dirt tracks, working his way up to racing midget and sprint cars.
“When I started coming to the track for the first time, I’d always go into the grandstands and sit at the very top,” Bell says. “I loved to watch everything. I’d watch every race until the final checkered flag dropped into the night.”
Bell’s potential as a competitive racecar driver was apparent early on, and he joined the Toyota Driver Development Program in 2013. The program is designed to identify and support promising young drivers by providing them with opportunities to develop their skills and racing careers.
“The people at TRD are the ones who have really brought me along and pushed me to these teams,” explains Bell. “They’ve really been the ones who have been my biggest supporters. So without them, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Despite his home state’s youth racing culture, when Bell won the Chili Bowl Nationals in 2017, he became the first Oklahoman to win the prestigious midget car race since 1994. He went on to win the legendary event two more times, becoming only the second driver in history to capture three consecutive Chili Bowl titles.
Taking On 2023
In 2018, Bell began driving in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. Rising through the ranks of NASCAR, Bell made his debut in the Cup Series in 2019, driving the No. 95 Toyota Camry for Leavine Family Racing during his rookie season. In 2021, he moved back to Joe Gibbs Racing.
Bell kicked off the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season by finishing third in the Daytona 500. The No. 20 Toyota Camry TRD driver narrowly missed out on a chance to win the crown jewel of NASCAR because the race ended under caution due to an incident on the white-flag lap.
“I’m very happy,” Bell stated after the first race of the season. “I’m very, very thankful that I could get this Rheem and DeWalt Toyota Camry a good solid finish — but just so close to a crown jewel. I’m very proud and thankful to be here at Joe Gibbs Racing.”
As of early May, Bell leads the Cup Series in top-five and top-10 finishes and is ready to continue his title push for a stellar 2023 season.
² https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ16H3quDII