As the NASCAR Cup Series enters the Round of 12, Joe Gibbs Racing has made a significant statement by sweeping the first three races of the Round of 16. Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 20 Toyota, played a pivotal role in this achievement by securing a victory at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The triumph not only marked his first win since March but also underscored the strength and cohesion within the organization. Bell capitalized on a late restart to overtake competitors and clinch the win by a narrow margin of 0.343 seconds over Brad Keselowski. But the real threat lies from Team Penske.

Team Penske’s performance at Phoenix Raceway has been a blend of triumph and challenge in recent seasons. In the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix, Austin Cindric started 14th and finished 19th in the No. 2 Menards/Monster Energy Ford Mustang, after over 300 miles at the one-mile Arizona track. Teammate Joey Logano, however, had a standout performance at the 2024 championship race at the track, leading 107 laps and holding off Ryan Blaney, securing a 1-2 finish for Team Penske and marking the first 1-2 championship finish in the team’s history. With all three Penske drivers qualifying for the Round of 12, the pressure has increased for JGR.

Christopher Bell aims to reignite his Championship push

In a post-race interview, reflecting on the team’s momentum, Bell acknowledged the impressive performance of all Toyota teams, stating, “All of the Toyotas are super fast right now. I think I said it last week in my post-race interview that this is the best race cars I’ve had to drive in the Cup Series compared to the competition in my career.” This sentiment reflects the collective strength of Toyota teams, including JGR, 23XI Racing, and Legacy Motor Club, which have been showcasing exceptional performance in the postseason. Notably, JGR’s four Toyotas led a combined 757 of 1,107 laps in the first round of the playoffs, demonstrating their superiority on the track.

Despite the impressive performance, Bell remains cautious about the challenges ahead. He acknowledged, “The bad news is that we’re not running Phoenix next week, and there’s still a long way to go to get there. So I can promise you, whenever we get to Phoenix, it’s not going to be a runaway.” Phoenix Raceway, known for its unique configuration and challenging turns, has historically been a venue where the championship is decided by mere fractions of a second. The 2024 finale, for instance, saw Joey Logano clinch the title with a narrow 0.330-second margin over teammate Ryan Blaney, highlighting the track’s reputation for dramatic finishes.

The upcoming races will test Bell and his team’s consistency and adaptability. He also noted, “And no matter who’s in that final four, it’s always a dogfight. It’s always a good race. So we are in a really good spot right now. We are in the Toyota group, and specifically Joe Gibbs Racing.” Notably, in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, JGR drivers secured the top two positions at Phoenix, with Bell narrowly defeating teammate Hamlin by just 0.049 seconds. This victory marked Bell’s 3rd consecutive win, setting a record in the Next Gen Car era.

Additionally, in the 2019 season, Denny Hamlin clinched a pivotal win at Phoenix, leading 143 laps to secure his 6th victory of the season and advance to the Championship 4. But a little bit of caution is indeed needed, as Bell continued, “But we’ve got a long way to go to get to Phoenix, and it’s going to be a hard road and everybody knows that.” With the threat from Team Penske rivals looming, JGR has a tough road ahead before finally having its name on the Championship trophy. But even before Bristol glory, Bell had some explaining to do about his Gateway outburst.

Inside JGR’s internal battle and Christopher Bell’s rollercoaster season

Christopher Bell entered Bristol with tension still fresh from Gateway, where the normally composed driver let frustration fly over the radio. “We just f—— ran seventh with the best car on the track. Every f—— week it’s the same s—. We’re the last car to pit road. I’m over it!” he yelled. Bell’s 32-point cushion in the Round of 16 was precarious, and after dominating early in the season with wins at Atlanta, COTA, and Phoenix, he had been searching for consistency in a playoff stretch due to his teammates’ success.

Bell clarified his outbursts ahead of Bristol, stressing unity within the team: “It’s professional sports, and we’re all on the same team. I want to win, (crew chief) Adam [Stevens] wants to win, all of my team, we have the same common goal. So, I don’t think anybody takes it personally because we all want the same thing. And if I win, it’s good for Adam. If Adam wins, it’s good for me.” Crew chief, Stevens echoed this sentiment, pointing to playoff pressure and Darlington as the trigger: “It’s been a few weeks since we’ve won, and it just weighs you down… frustrations come out. It’s a frustrating sport.”

Bell tied Josh Berry with a 15.214-second qualifying lap ahead of the Bristol race, settling into 10th on the grid by tiebreaker, while Aj Allmendinger took pole. Bell admitted, “I’m happy for my teammates, but that’s the barometer. And if your teammates are out there winning races and leading laps, that shows that the cars are capable. We have the equipment. And I haven’t been leading laps and I haven’t been winning races, so there’s obviously something going on that’s keeping us from doing that.” With Bristol now under his control, New Hampshire poses another threat for the driver and JGR to proceed into the Round of 8.