NASCAR may have said no and let this one slide, but Denny Hamlin isn’t convinced. “I mean, we were just kind of sitting in the middle of the racetrack backwards. I think it’s important to know that, and then I don’t see any reason why I can’t know what the point situation is,” Hamlin said after Ross Chastain’s dive bomb spun him last weekend and handed the final playoff spot to Joey Logano. In a playoff format where even radio chatter about points can count as race manipulation, it is Hamlin’s teammate, Christopher Bell, who knows the harsh reality behind this.

Christopher Bell has been on the receiving end, and you can consider him an expert in this situation. Take Martinsville 2024: a wall-riding misstep disqualified him from the Championship 4, handing the final playoff spot forward to William Byron. Bell and his crew were fined for orchestrating a late race blockade that kept him untouchable and ultimately knocked him out of contention. And now the No. 20 driver has squarely placed the blame on the playoff system.

Commenting on his teammate’s run last weekend, Bell didn’t hesitate to confirm the race manipulation, but with one condition. During the media availability, he said, ” I mean, it is. You know, I, but it’s a product of the format that we’re, you know, racing under right now. So, it’s been happening a lot longer than I think most people realize, and people are just, you know, finally starting to talk about it. Uh, but yeah, I think everything that happens, uh, is a product of the, you know, the format that we’re racing under.”

Definitely trust Bell on this one. Since hopping into Joe Gibbs Racing’s #20 ride five years ago, Christopher Bell wasted no time making waves, steering the car to the Championship 4 in both 2022 and 2023. But last season’s heartbreak at Martinsville saw Bell out of contention, and NASCAR handed out penalties like candy.

It wasn’t just Byron who got fined; NASCAR handed out a total of nine penalties to Chevrolet and Toyota for their hand in late-race manipulation. And according to Christopher Bell, it is this current playoff format to blame.

The 30-year-old driver has never been a big fan of the playoffs, joining Dale Junior in the hunt for a return to the 36-point race format, as it rewards consistency and avoids the whole “win and you’re in” situation. He has sounded off in the past, saying, “I’m hopeful that there is compromise on what we have now. You know, I’ve been very vocal about taking as many we can get. I think that 36 races are full points for the entire year, and that is the best way to go.”

And it’s true. This elimination-style system, where drivers are cut off after each round based on points, has intensified the pressure on teams to employ aggressive strategies to secure a spot to advance. Such high-stakes scenarios can lead to actions that prioritize short-term gains over the integrity of the race, as teams may resort to tactics and manipulate outcomes to their benefit in the playoff positioning.

In fact, Denny Hamlin has even admitted that he wasn’t aware of Ross Chastain’s playoff position and the tie in points that he held with Joey Logano until after the race. This may prove Hamlin’s innocence, but NASCAR will only let it slide once, as it was dangerously close to race manipulation.

NASCAR recently laid down the ground rules on this. With Mike Forde making it abundantly clear with the “if we hear or see anything that crosses the line, we won’t hesitate to act.” 

So now the teams will have to race more carefully, or else NASCAR won’t hesitate to put its foot down and send fines and penalties all across. However, this is the least of Bell’s worries, as he sets his eyes on a much bigger fight ahead of him.

Christopher Bell eyes a spot in the Championship 4 amid a title hunt

Christopher Bell is gunning for a pivotal victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, keeping his Championship 4 hopes very much alive. Sitting just four points below the playoff cut line, the JGR driver knows the stakes; Las Vegas presents a make-or-break moment in his quest for the final playoff round.

Having started from the pole and finished runner-up in the last two South Point 400 playoff races, Bell and the No. 20 crew are acutely aware that Sunday’s 267-lap marathon could define their postseason.

The 30-year-old Oklahoma native emphasized that this event has been a focal point for the team, calling it a prime opportunity to secure a Championship 4 spot. He said, “This is the one we have circled…We know this is a big opportunity.”

Now, with an upper hand after securing a thrilling third-place start amid a JGR 1-2-3 qualifying sweep, Denny Hamlin, grabbing his 47th pole, and Chase Briscoe, slotting in second, Bell is ready to fire on all cylinders and cement his spot at the finale at Phoenix.