This year’s NASCAR Cup Series finale returns to Phoenix Raceway, the intense desert bullring where titles are decided and rivalries peak. While the packed grandstands and blazing sun set the stage for a winner-take-all showdown, not everyone agrees it should stay there. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell sees the big picture differently, and he is not shy about saying so.

NASCAR’s championship finale, held at Homestead-Miami from 2002 to 2019, shifted to Phoenix in 2020. Starting in 2026, the sport will rotate its season-ending venue, bringing Homestead back while keeping Phoenix in the mix. Rotating NASCAR’s finale adds unpredictability to the title fight. Phoenix delivers tight, tactical battles, while Homestead brings high-speed drama and sweeping turns.

Christopher Bell calls for a rotating championship finale

Christopher Bell’s perspective aligns with NASCAR’s evolving approach to its championship finale, especially under the winner-take-all format where a single race decides it all.

Speaking to Frontstretch, the 30-year-old driver made his stance clear. He said, “I don’t know. I love Phoenix, but Homestead’s put on really, really good races. So I think it’s good to have change, and I don’t think either one of them deserves to have it year after year. I think it needs to be a rotation—and a rotation deeper than just Phoenix and Homestead. Hopefully, we can get a number of tracks in there and just keep changing it up. Especially with the winner-take-all format, it has to change year after year.”

Bell isn’t just a contender at Phoenix Raceway; he is a conqueror. He has claimed victories into 2024 and 2025, including a dramatic win at the 2025 Shriner Children’s 500 after leading 105 laps. He averages a solid 12.1 finish at Phoenix over seven starts. Add to that his streak of clutch performances, and it’s clear that Phoenix is a championship hotspot.

However, Bell has had some of his most defining moments on Homestead’s surface, including a playoff-clinching victory in 2023. Overall, he maintains a stellar average finish of 11.3 across four races at the track. In the recent set of Homestead finals, he has been even more consistent, averaging around an 8.0 finish, marking him as a genuine threat when it matters most.

As NASCAR flips the script from a single-venue final to a more dynamic model starting in 2026, both Phoenix and Homestead stand poised to share the limelight. Phoenix brings tight battles and repeat success, while Homestead brings high speed and playoff fireworks.

Bell’s numbers back it up, and his words frame the narrative perfectly: rotating champions isn’t just fair, it is thrilling. While chasing playoff success, Bell is also promoting NASCAR.

Christopher Bell brings NASCAR fever to Boston

Christopher Bell, the reigning two-time winner at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, brought NASCAR energy to Boston on Wednesday ahead of September’s playoffs round of 12.

His day began with a Duck Boat ride featuring New Hampshire Motor Speedway executive vice president David McGarrett, press members, and tour guide “The Great Garabaldi,” who shares Boston history with NASCAR humor. Well-known landmarks like the State House, the Freedom Trail, and Faneuil Hall, and even steered the Duck Boat on the Charles River, mimicking his trademark victory lap donuts.

Bell then visited Boston’s North End, famous for Italian cuisine. At Umbria, he joined chefs Felipe Gustavo, Pereira Santos, and Alonso Cedillas to make the restaurant’s signature short rib caramel pasta. He also enjoyed appetizers like Cacio e Pepe Arancini, Caprese Skewers, and Smoked Salmon Crostini, finishing with desserts including cannoli, tiramisu, and beignets, a showcase of the neighborhood’s hospitality.

Bell’s last stop was Seacrest Studios at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he joined patients in an Arty Party to design race cars, tracks, and suits. The event was broadcast to all 470 hospital rooms, and Christopher Bell handed out signed hero cards and plush souvenirs, leaving lasting memories for the children.

Wrapping up at Boston Logan International Airport, Christopher Bell said, “It was an amazing day to get just the history of this place. Overall, a really, really fun day, and I can’t wait to see everybody at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Round of 12 opener. It’s going to be a really important race, and a lot more serious when we come back to New England.” His visit boosted anticipation for one of the season’s most pivotal events.