How is a triumph measured? Is it in the margin of victory? The trophy? Or is it when a driver knows he’s just defeated one of the sport’s most formidable opponents—not by chance, but by skill? When Christopher Bell got out of his car at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), he may have had all those answers racing through his mind.
However, neither a complex speech nor an emotional outburst made an impression when the microphone was thrust into his face. It was four words, with a hint of satisfaction, a knowing smirk, and a hint of edge that made it clear to everyone exactly what he was thinking. For this was no ordinary victory; Kyle Busch was defeated in this chess match as Bell simply had the better strategy, and the latter knew it.
The perfectly timed masterstroke at COTA
As Christopher Bell pursued Kyle Busch, lap after lap, like a predator waiting for the right opportunity, the sound of engines echoed across COTA. Throughout the afternoon, Busch, a seasoned racecraft expert, had maintained perfect discipline, keeping his car fastened to the ideal racing line with unyielding accuracy. The Joe Gibbs Racing #20 had tried to rattle him, but he had always resisted. Bell was not merely pursuing. He was planning. Bell’s pursuit grew more intense as the laps decreased. Turn 15 followed, a deceptively tricky left-hander that had already had some setbacks throughout the race. This was the final crack in the Richard Childress Racing #8’s armor.
While rewatching the race in a post by NASCAR on X he said, “Yeah, so Kyle, he was making it tough, and I was trying to out break him, and he wasn’t making a mistake until right here he slipped getting into [Turn] 15 there… I was able to get to his inside, but he still beat me into [Turn] 19 there.”
It was neither a glaring error nor a spectacular spin. But Bell was waiting for it. As they got closer to the carousel, Bell took advantage of the situation and jumped inside, using his superior tire wear and premeditated aggression to dive under Busch. Momentarily taken by surprise, Busch tried to retaliate, but his defense, which had been impenetrable all afternoon, was starting to break down. He was clearly under stress since he had been rebuffing Bell’s attempts for too long.
Christopher Bell continued, “But this had been a strength for me, 19 and 20 all day, and I knew that my tires were getting hotter and I needed to get to the lead. So right here, I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m doing it. I’m committing,’ and locked up the rear slightly… Yeah, he stayed in my quarter and dragged me back, but I’m still in the best spot getting into turn one. So I’m like, okay, nothing special, hit my marks, drive away. Dub!”
The tables had flipped by the time they got to Turn 19. Once controlling the pace of the race, Busch was now struggling to maintain his position. Bell’s Toyota had more momentum, better grip, and—above all—the assurance of a driver who had perfected his strategy. They were almost side by side until Turn 20. Bell had already set himself up for a flawless pass into Turn 1, but Busch, anxious to regain control, pushed to the edge. Bell had been waiting for this moment and slipped through the door, which had been left open just enough, and now it could not be closed.
Getting around a place like @NASCARatCOTA is very technical, but setting up a pass is even more so. @CBellRacing takes us through his race-winning move. pic.twitter.com/Zu2PWExYSi
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) March 3, 2025
For Bell, this was a carefully planned attack rather than a careless gamble. He had kept up the pressure, controlled his tires flawlessly, and had Busch burn through his own. Instead of concentrating on his performance, Busch had expended too much energy defending himself and too much time driving in his mirrors. That pressure had paid off, as had the unrelenting pursuit.
This was more than simply another triumph; it was evidence of Bell’s development as a driver. He had demonstrated that he was not just quick but also calculating. By provoking a mistake instead of committing one himself, he had taken down one of NASCAR’s most formidable drivers. This was a testament to his growth from 2024, where he spun out Kyle Busch at COTA, which resulted in a heated confrontation at pit road after the race. Bell even referenced this in his interview, saying, “Obviously, we know what happened last year, I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted to pass him clean.”
Christopher Bell has started the Cup Series winning 2 out of the first three races, the first time anyone has done this since Kevin Harvick did it in 2018.
Christopher Bell loves a tire strategy race
In 2021, Christopher Bell had not yet made a name for himself in the NASCAR Cup Series. He was undoubtedly talented—a seasoned victor in the Truck and Xfinity Series—but he still had a lot to show in a sport where reputations are built under duress. The Daytona Road Course was a crowning moment. Bell wasn’t the favorite that day. The road-course king Chase Elliott and the steady competitor Joey Logano were the center of attention. However, Bell had patience, new tires, and a well-timed maneuver that they did not.
With two laps left, he followed Logano down the front stretch chicane in search of the ideal moment to leap. The No. 20 Toyota took the lead and didn’t turn around until Logano’s worn tires forced him to let Bell pass. It was a calculated move, not a desperate lunge or a lucky break. Bell said after the race, “This is one of the highlights of my life so far.” While Joey Logano admitted, “Just too many laps. One lap could have made the difference”.
In 2025, Bell’s victory at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) seemed to be a logical progression of that initial victory. The talent was still there, but now he had experience and confidence. He won in 2021 thanks to a well-timed pass and new tires. However, he defeated Kyle Busch in a straight-up duel at COTA. There was only flawless execution—no edge, no outside force shifting the balance in his favor. Bell’s biggest weapon in both races was patience rather than attack. He didn’t press the issue. He waited and planned. With complete conviction, he took action when the time was right.
The year 2025 marks Bell’s resurgence as a force in the Cup Series. After a disappointing end to 2024 at Martinsville with the ‘wall ride 2.0’ fiasco, the JGR #20 will be motivated to make it back to the Championship 4. As things stand, he’s the best driver on the grid.
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