The Christopher Bell Paradox – Why NASCAR’s Most Clutch Driver Can’t Seem to Get His Spotlight

Cheers erupted in the grandstands when the checkered flag was waved at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 2025 Bass Pro Shops Night Race had it all. Excessive tire wear, plenty of lead lap changes, another Josh Berry DNF, and a 23-race winless streak being broken. Christopher Bell emerged from his No. 20 Toyota, a big smile on his face after helping Joe Gibbs Racing sweep the Round of 16 with three consecutive triumphs. For a driver that is often overlooked, the Oklahoman produced a clutch result when the stakes were high, finishing just 0.343 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski.

But despite his dominance this season, the 30-year-old often goes under the radar more often than not. Bell has been a Championship 4 contender twice in the last three years, and while he’s a favorite this time around as well, the broader conversation in the Cup Series often moves on without him.

Christopher Bell’s Resume: More Than Respectable

Christopher Bell’s track record proves he’s a real force to be reckoned with. As things stand, he has 13 Cup Series wins, including the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 and three consecutive triumphs earlier this year at Atlanta, the Circuit of The Americas, and Phoenix. He has also made some deep playoff runs in the last few years, finishing third in 2022 after winning must-win elimination races at the Charlotte Roval and Martinsville, and ended up fourth the following year.

What makes Bell truly unique is that even when he’s not winning, he’s right up there with the very best. In 28 races this year, the racer has achieved 10 top-10 finishes, demonstrating consistency week after week and rarely succumbing to wrecks or imploding under pressure. Unlike Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin, the Oklahoman might not be as ‘dominant’ on his best days, might not lead as many laps, or blow the competition out of the water like his rivals. Still, he can carve out results in unlikely circumstances.

When asked why he’s overlooked, Denny Hamlin narrated what Bell said, “Because I don’t lead laps like my teammates, while I do win races, I do run up front. What people talk about is who’s controlling the race, who’s showing that they’re the best… it’s style points. ‘I think it’s somewhat warranted because we’re not upfront as much as Martin or Denny is.’ I think that plays a role in it; you cannot argue about Christopher Bell’s results, he gets results.”

He also has a sense of calm in high-pressure situations. At Martinsville in 2022, Christopher Bell entered the fixture below the cutline, finding himself in a must-win scenario in the penultimate race of the season. He qualified for the race in 20th place, but steadily gained track positions as soon as the green flag dropped, finishing sixth in Stage 1 and 5th in Stage 2. While the headlines were dominated by Ross Chastain’s famous ‘hail melon’, Christopher Bell locked his Championship 4 berth with a clutch result.

The Hype Gap: Why Bell Doesn’t Trend

The big question is, how is a driver who virtually checks every box still not on the radar for the masses? Perhaps it has something to do with his personality. Unlike Denny Hamlin or Carson Hocevar, the 30-year-old prefers to remain outside the spotlight and not get involved in controversies or social media exchanges. While the media likes to focus on conflicts, both on and off the track, Bell simply doesn’t give them much to write about, preferring to do his talking on the track instead.

He doesn’t have a podcast like Actions Detrimental or the Dale Jr. Download, where he can voice his opinion every week about the NASCAR world. His limited interaction in front of the screen means there are fewer talking points and narratives that can be stitched, which may go on to explain why there’s less ‘noise’ surrounding Bell. Another factor may have something to do with marketing.

Denny Hamlin’s personal brand has become synonymous with longevity, championship attempts, and his ‘anti-hero’ personality. As for Christopher Bell, he rose to prominence after Kyle Busch departed from Joe Gibbs Racing, but the Oklahoman didn’t inherit Rowdy’s fanbase or his style. For any team, it’s easier to market a driver with a big, flashy personality, rather than a more reserved racer who prefers to be away from the spotlight. The 30-year-old has always been measured in front of the camera, and doesn’t have the same confrontational personality as his peers.

The Fan Perception Paradox

There’s a clear pattern that emerges every time fans talk about Christopher Bell on social media. While many say he’s underrated, others think he’s “boring” due to his personality (or rather, the lack of) in interviews. While the respect is there, especially for his clutch results in high-pressure situations, the Oklahoman doesn’t have a passionate fanbase like some of his teammates or rivals. But from a perception standpoint, fans definitely have a positive impression of the racer, with one Reddit user saying, “He’s pretty quiet in everything he does. He is extremely clean and respectful as a driver. Definitely not as as-hole. Just goes under the radar all the time.”

However, as time guys by, his appreciation by the stock car racing community is increasing. Another fan wrote, “I have really come to appreciate Bell (so I guess I’m biased). I think his time will come if he can pull off a championship. I expect him to be more comfortable in his own skin at that point.”

Even when Bell does win races, the headlines and talking points are often dominated by Hamlin, Elliott, Hocevar, Busch, and others. It’s not difficult to see why. Seven-time Most Popular Driver Award recipient Chase Elliott has a very strong regional appeal and a famous surname in the NASCAR world. Kyle Larson’s dirt track prowess and his overall domination through the years have also made him a fan-favorite, while Hamlin is the driver fans love to hate.

Meanwhile, Christopher Bell, though successful, hasn’t built a ‘brand’ for himself. An identity that fans can rally around in the same way. While his racing is clean, and he doesn’t dominate the headlines for the wrong reasons, perhaps he’s too ‘vanilla’ and not polarizing enough for a fanbase that craves drama. For the younger generation, they want memes, controversial opinions, and some edge, but Bell doesn’t tick those boxes yet.

What Bell Represents — And Why That Matters

In many ways, Christopher Bell is far from the old-school NASCAR drivers from the good ol’ days. Sure, he has the technical skills and the ability to perform well under pressure. Joe Gibbs loves him because he’s never in the headlines for the wrong reasons and fulfills sponsors’ expectations both on and off the track. You can almost compare him to the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan, quiet and soft-spoken leaders with minimal drama or fuss.

But that doesn’t mean Bell doesn’t voice out his opinion when the situation calls for it. Recently, he lost his cool on the team radio after the race at Gateway, when crew chief Adam Stevens said, “That’s what we needed today. Take the pressure off next week. Good job, guys.” In response, the No. 20 Toyota driver said, “We just (expletive) ran seventh with the best car on the track! Every (expletive) week it’s the same (expletive)! We’re the last car to pit road! I’m over it!”

Later, he said in the post-race interview, “I don’t think it’s about winning races. Certainly, that is an important part of it. If I was consistently leading laps and in position to win, then I would never have been frustrated. But the fact of the matter is, I haven’t been in position to win races, I haven’t led laps. My teammates are leading it seems like almost every lap, and they’re getting the results out of it. It’s less about winning races and more about being in position to do well, and we haven’t had that.”

Perhaps his criticism of the No. 20 team hit the spot, as the team showed noticeable improvement at Bristol Motor Speedway in challenging circumstances. It was clear he wasn’t going to stand by and watch his teammate snag wins; Bell wanted a piece of it, too.

Conclusion: Still Here, Still Climbing

Christopher Bell isn’t underrated because he lacks the results. Far from it. If anything, he’s under-discussed because, unlike other drivers on the grid, he doesn’t make the same kind of noise. The NASCAR world has always favored big personalities, famous surnames, conflicts both on and off the track, as well as drama, and Bell doesn’t tick those boxes yet. But when it comes to performances, there’s no doubt that the 30-year-old is right up there with the very best.

With the sport changing rapidly, evolving its calendar to include more road course races, expanding beyond the American borders, and the lawsuit drama heating up, perhaps Bell will finally stand out as a no-fuss, quiet contender who just wants to do his job. Maybe the narrative surrounding him will shift, finally giving him the credit where it’s due by focusing on his consistency, clutch performances, and talent. After all, Christopher Bell has earned it.