What Happened?
NASCAR’s longest night turned into its shortest race of the season as Christopher Bell took the trophy, winning the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600.
Bell had to hold of a charging Brad Keselowski on the track before the final caution flew. William Byron made his way to third, with Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin finishing out the top five.
What Really Happened?
In the disappointment and discussion of the premature ending of what should have been a 600-mile event, one small bright shone as CBell smiled in victory lane.
Another one of those quiet, nice guys, Bell is not one to steal the spotlight for himself. But as he continues to grow, he has an opportunity to rival Kyle Larson both on and off the track.
When the Netflix documentary Full Speed released, Bell showed a glimpse of his competitive side. He knows how good he is, he knows that he gets left out of the conversation a lot, and he uses that to his advantage.
Bell already has the capability to take over a race — we’ve seen it before. But to step up his game and consistently be the best of the Joe Gibbs Racing bunch, he has to show a little more of his personality, just like he did after the racing ended.
In his victory lane interview, Bell beamed and had a moment of relatability, joking that he was half-asleep on his couch when he heard the news, much like most of the viewers at home.
In his media availability, he also had some more fascinating lines.
This goes along with what we’ve seen from Bell throughout the year, like when he joked with FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass about getting picked to do well.
Bell has the personality to become another fan favorite if he lets it come through. While he’s doing better about that on the NASCAR schedule, there’s another avenue he could use to further connect with fans and become a superstar: getting back into his dirt roots.
This same path is what has connected Larson with fans across the country. It’s made Larson a superstar. You could even argue Larson’s incessant racing made him a better driver and helped him win his championship.
The more personable Bell seems, the more connected he can get with fans. Who knows? Maybe a charming personality would be just enough to convince Coach Gibbs to…
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