Have you seen Christopher Bell smile this much as he is at the Chili Bowl? Honestly, it’s hard to remember a time when he’s looked this happy. Maybe it was when he accidentally spilled the beans about Chase Briscoe joining Joe Gibbs Racing. But this time, it’s for real. With Coach Gibbs giving him the green light to race dirt again, Bell’s grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. And who can blame him?

It’s been two long years since he’s had a real shot at dirt racing, and for a three-time Chili Bowl champion (2017, 2018, and 2019), that’s basically an eternity. The main event’s still a couple of days away, but Bell is already looking like the guy to beat. In a recent chat, he opened up about how it feels to be back in the driver’s seat.

Christopher Bell is back where he belongs

Normally, a driver might need a little time to shake off the rust after a break. But not Bell. He came out swinging, winning the Race of Champions on his first try back—a race he’s now won three times. For those unfamiliar, the Race of Champions brings together past Chili Bowl winners and dirt racing legends. While the race doesn’t count toward the Chili Bowl title, it’s a huge confidence booster. And for Bell, it was like saying, “I’m back, baby!”

When asked about how it feels, he couldn’t hide his excitement. Christopher Bell grinned and told FloRacing’s Tyler Burnett, “Life is good, Tyler Burnett. Life is good.” And honestly, you can’t blame him. Everything’s lining up, but there’s still the matter of the prelims before he can qualify for the big show. It’s crazy to think that even after three wins, Bell still gets those pre-race jitters.

“I have said this time and time again. Chili Bowl heat race, that is what it comes down to. And racing, literally racing to me is all about those moments rolling down the ramp for the Chili Bowl heat race. I’m gonna be nervous. Just wanna do good. It all comes down to putting it all together.”

And to our non-regular dirt racing fans, Midget racing is no walk in the park. Many greats fail. Remember how Kyle Larson dropped out last year when he flipped in the final qualifying race?

Still, Bell is staying optimistic, even if he’s playing it cautiously. “Although the last couple of years we have seen a lot of guys have issues at heat race and they are able to drive through it. You just want you everything to go right. So I’m cautiously optimistic. I had a really good race in the Race of Champions. The car felt really comfortable. I just wanna do good. I wanna do good really bad. “

And while we are on the subject of controlling the nerves. We know Bell’s prepared for that. His intense battle with Larson is still too fresh in our minds. And while we were in awe of Bell, according to him, it wasn’t his best.

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Christopher Bell’s verdict on the Tulsa Shootout

It was the Non-Wing Outlaw event. We imagined Larson would back it because he was already coming from two wins in the Shootout. But Bell had the front seat since the beginning as Larson started from behind (starting positions hardly matter in dirt racing). At the end, Larson and Bell locked horns. Larson even pulled a Hail Melon. But Christopher Bell emerged victorious!

However, recently when asked if the race was his best one yet. He did not think so. “Certainly entertaining, and it came down to the wire that was really cool. For me, I was out front. I have performed better in races when I’m in the back and you have to charge through there. So I don’t think it was my best performance.”

The ever-so-humble Bell credits the atmosphere of the Tulsa Expo Center for always producing exciting races. “But certainly it was an amazing race and I can’t say it enough. Everybody asked me about the Chili Bowl. There is just magic in this building and every year something happens to top it,” Bell added.

What do you think of Christopher Bell’s big return to dirt racing? Got any thoughts on his race-winning form? Let us know in the comments below!