The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had some good luck this past week. How he clinched victory has sparked hundreds of questions in the community. But a win is a win! And NASCAR captures every move a driver makes with data. This can be a blessing or a curse sometimes.
The SMT data essentially records information on a driver’s lap times, speed, throttle, brake input, wheel inputs, tire temperatures, and more. By studying this data, drivers can fine-tune their driving style and optimize performance. While it all sounds great, sometimes drivers can face criticism.
After the race on a Monday or Tuesday, the team sits down, and often some people are on the driver’s case about what he did wrong and what could be better. Christopher Bell, the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 winner, was recently on the Kevin Harvick podcast, where he highlighted that he sure has been in the hot seat. But that’s not the only criticism he has received.
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Christopher Bell talks about his MO when racing
Driving style or a particular MO—everyone has a different way of racing. Sometimes that works well with teams, and sometimes it doesn’t. Christopher Bell said that his MO did cause acclamation issues between him and his crew chief back in 2021, and it was due to his driving style, which is steady and controlled.
Confronting Kevin Harvick and stating that he had seen and studied Harvick’s SMTs data, Christopher Bell emphasized, “Every time I look at your data like you’re, you’re, you’re back and forth on the wheel, your lines are very up and down, up and down.” To which Harvick replied, “yes, I have choppy hands.”
The JGR darkhorse further drew a comparison between him and the veteran racer. He said, unlike Kevin Harvick’s style, he prefers a steady grip even when the car feels loose. That’s just his style of racing!
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also mentioned that he adjusts the throttle input rather than making drastic steering changes. He said, “I’m not that guy. That’s just going to be back and forth on the wheel. Right. Like I’m looking to hold a steady wheel. And if I’m loose, like I’m still going to hold that steady wheel and my, my right foot’s going to come up. Right. And then you tighten the car up. My right foot’s going to be down more and my hands are going to be steadier and I’m going to go faster.”
Despite receiving criticism from SMT, Bell takes it well and says that it can sometimes beat one mentally too. However, stating that it can even hurt drivers’ performance if you don’t have faith and belief in them. But it looks like that’s not the only criticism the JGR star has been facing!
Christopher Bell faces fan scrutiny similar to Bubba Wallace’s reception
Despite winning, Christopher Bell was booed by NASCAR fans after he was crowned the winner at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. However, no matter if he wasn’t an ideal winner, the fans should have spared him there. As the NASCAR fans had to wait for two hours only to have Christopher Bell on stage and give him the win, they were evidently angry.
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While Bubba Wallace is used to this behavior by fans, Bell isn’t. Yet, in the interview with Kevin Harvick, he showed a mature sentiment, stating how he understands what the fans feel. He said, “I’ll be honest. That was the first time in my career that I’ve gotten booed in victory lane. I knew that the situation was not ideal to have that long rain delay and everyone has their hopes up that we’re going to go racing again and then they call it later in the evening… I understand why the boos were there.”
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In fact, according to Bell, he had fallen asleep when NASCAR announced that “Christopher Bell is the winner,” and he himself was taken aback. Booed or not, the JGR driver surely exudes the maturity of a seasoned driver. And with his steady hands, fans hope he reaches a steady point in his career too.
What are your thoughts about Christopher Bell? Let us know in the comments.
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