“It Bothered Me”- Christopher Bell Publicly Confesses Boiling Resentment Against Joe Gibbs Days After Back-to-Back Cup Thriller

In the high-stakes world of NASCAR, Christopher Bell has emerged as one of 2025’s hottest drivers, delivering consecutive wins in entertaining fashion. But behind his recent success lies a story of frustration and acceptance that shaped his relationship with team owner Joe Gibbs. Just months after the controversial Martinsville penalty that shattered Bell’s championship hopes in 2024 – when NASCAR officials penalized him for a final-lap wall-riding move – Bell has revealed a different kind of disappointment that festered within him for years. That November 2024 ruling left Gibbs visibly emotional, telling reporters, “They said it’s over… I’m still dealing with it,” while lamenting the inability to appeal NASCAR’s decision.

Long before joining the Cup Series, Bell built his reputation as a dirt track prodigy, collecting trophies across sprint cars and midgets while displaying the raw talent that caught Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing’s attention. He was a 3x Chili Bowl Nationals champion before he even got into a Cup Series car. A move to Joe Gibbs Racing from Leavine Family Racing in 2021 set off a chain of events that triggered a range of emotions, from resentment to relief.

Christopher Bell got his joy stripped away

Joe Gibbs Racing seemed like the perfect destination for Bell until he realized what Joe Gibbs’ thoughts on dirt racing were. The veteran owner was not a fan. When Bell initially joined the team, Coy Gibbs, Joe’s son, pushed for Bell to go dirt racing as it benefitted his overall game as a driver. Gibbs listened to his son’s wishes for over a year; however, after Coy’s passing in 2022, things changed.

Bell had lost the only man who could get his feelings across to Joe Gibbs, and in 2023, Joe Gibbs banned everyone at JGR from dirt racing in the foreseeable future. What triggered this decision was Alex Bowman’s horrific accident in Kyle Larson’s High Limit Racing series. Bowman was out for 3 to 4 weeks with a fractured vertebra and missed Cup Series races. Gibbs did not want to risk this happening to Bell.

So Bell sat and watched contemporaries continue enjoying the discipline that first ignited his passion. Joe Gibbs, whose racing philosophy has always emphasized focus and risk management, maintained these restrictions despite Bell’s obvious passion for dirt racing. “I did have some resentment,” Bell candidly admitted in a recent interview when asked if he carried a chip on his shoulder.

“It bothered me… sitting on the couch watching races, watching Kyle getting to go do all the stuff, all the fun stuff that I wanted to do.” The “Kyle” referenced is most certainly Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports star and Bell’s longtime rival, who maintains an active dirt racing schedule alongside his NASCAR commitments – a freedom granted by team owner Rick Hendrick that Bell clearly envied.

LEBANON, TENNESSEE – JUNE 29: Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DEWALT Concrete Solutions Toyota, waits on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

The restrictions stemmed from Joe Gibbs Racing’s historically conservative approach to outside racing activities. When asked about these limitations in past interviews, Gibbs has consistently emphasized driver safety and focused on Cup Series obligations, stating once that “our primary responsibility is to our sponsors and the championship chase.” This perspective created a visible tension between Bell’s dirt racing desires and Gibbs’ risk-averse philosophy.

Bell’s journey to acceptance wasn’t quick. “It took me a little bit to be able to overcome that,” he explained. “It wasn’t until probably late 2023… whenever I finally came to peace with myself and accepted that dirt racing was not in my cards right now.” This timeline is particularly notable as it coincided with Bell’s breakthrough 2023 season when he reached the Championship 4 for consecutive years after winning his way through the playoffs – perhaps validating Gibbs’ focus-driven approach despite Bell’s frustrations. However, a lot has changed since 2023.

Christopher Bell got his joy back

It was in late 2024 that Joe Gibbs finally announced his decision to allow JGR drivers to enter the world of dirt racing again. But what changed? Well, it was yet another situation where family comes first. Gibbs’ grandson Ty Gibbs, also a part of JGR, took a liking to dirt racing, and this prompted Joe Gibbs to go back on his decision. Notably, the offseason addition of another dirt racing enthusiast, Chase Briscoe, tipped the scales in the garage as 3/4 drivers were inclined to participate outside of NASCAR.

When Christopher Bell clinched victory at the most recent Tulsa Shootout, he said, “I’ve got four words. Thank you, Joe Gibbs!” The change in heart from the team owner birthed new life into a superstar who was rearing for a comeback. 2024 also marked the first time in the playoff era that each JGR driver failed to make the Championship 4. Something needed to change, and for Bell, it seems like all he needed was to get back in dirt cars.

Now winning races and establishing himself as a championship contender in 2025, Bell’s perspective has evolved: “Now I get to have some fun and just get my mind off of the Cup Series grind.” The resentment that once weighed on him has transformed into acceptance, potentially freeing him mentally to reach new heights in NASCAR’s premier series, while recent sightings of him at local dirt tracks suggest a potential thawing in Gibbs’ strict stance.

Bell is having another breakout year of sorts. He became the first driver to win three Cup Series races in a row since Kyle Larson in 2021. The first to win three out of the first four opening races since Kevin Harvick in 2018. This monumental rise coinciding with his return to dirt racing is not a mere coincidence but a sign that returning to your roots always brings the best out of you.

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