Christopher Bell is gearing up for a pivotal showdown at Martinsville Speedway, a track where he has previously demonstrated strong performances. In the 2024 Cook Out 400, Bell secured a second-place finish, showcasing his capability on the short track. His crew chief, Adam Stevens, has expressed confidence in Bell’s adaptability and competitiveness, which could be crucial in the upcoming race.

And this red-hot form could pose as a nightmare for JGR rivals Hendrick Motorsports, especially for Kyle Larson, their best playoff driver right now, rank-wise. Both have locked horns at third and fourth, and a win by anyone below the cutline could see them directly wrestling for the final championship seat. Even Larson’s crew chief knows this, but he chose the diplomatic escape to hide that anxiety.

Daniels keeps cards close

Cliff Daniels, crew chief for Kyle Larson, stayed quiet on any special plans for Christopher Bell. He said, “We’ve looked at that from both different angles, of what it would look like to do that and what it would look like not to do that.”

The Hendrick team runs plenty of checks before the race, using data to figure out moves like stage stops or staying out for points, especially if a caution drops in late. This is because both Larson and Bell just have a one-point difference right now, so every stage point matters.

He added, “Ultimately, I think there’s a scenario where us and Bell would probably end up being very similar to each other in what that could look like, unless there’s some big disparity in our running positions.”

Larson and Bell run neck and neck on short tracks like Martinsville, with close ratings and lots of laps led there. Their teams start up front, so they often make the same pit stops to keep things even.

Daniels went on, “If we’re really close on track, we may end up matching each other, and then if we’re not, then either of us could end up doing something different.” Stage racing can change fast. If they run near each other, both might stay out for points. But if one drops back, the other could pit early for a better spot later. Daniels knows to watch Bell’s moves closely.

He wrapped up, “So we’ve looked at it both ways, and ultimately we’ve got to make the right decision in the moment.” Plans help, but the race decides. Daniels has made smart calls before, like pitting early or taking two tires to gain spots. Bell’s team does bold things, too. It all comes down to quick thinking when the green flag waves.

The Hendrick silence on Bell keeps the focus on their own race, but everyone knows the two will watch each other like hawks at Martinsville. Chase Briscoe, fresh off his Talladega win that locked him in the Championship 4, opened up about wanting more Joe Gibbs Racing teammates in Phoenix.

Briscoe cheers for JGR trio in final four

With Denny Hamlin already in from Las Vegas, Briscoe hopes Christopher Bell joins to make three JGR cars. He said on Rubbin’ is Racing, “Hopefully we can get Christopher in there as well. It’d be pretty cool if we could have three out of the four. And honestly, I hope it is that way because as a competitor, I think naturally you have to think you’re the best one. And whenever we go to the championship four race and I’m racing three of my teammates, well, I know that we all have the same equipment.”

Briscoe likes the idea of facing his own team. “It’s just going to come down to out of us three, who can perform the best? And if you go there with three other teams or three other organizations, there’s just a ton of question marks about do they have better stuff, better resources, whatever. But when we’re racing just JGR cars, I know they have the exact same opportunity that I have, and it just comes down to who can do it the best,” he added. No worries about gear differences, just pure driving.

He stayed neutral in the fourth spot. “I’d be lying if I said I hope a Penske car doesn’t get in. If you look at the statistics, the last three years, they’ve been unbelievable there.” Penske runs strong at Phoenix, but Briscoe knows that any driver there is top-notch. Hendrick or Penske, it will be hard. He plans to race all three the same way, full speed to win.

Briscoe’s cheer for a JGR-heavy final four ties right into the Bell watch. If Bell sneaks in, it sets up a family fight at Phoenix, where teammates push each other to the limit.