Christopher Bell finds the bright side of finishing second with the return of NASCAR Chase

Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing has finished second in four of the past five NASCAR Cup Series races, a streak he describes as a 'kick to the gut.' Speaking before practice at Richmond Raceway on August 14, 2026, Bell acknowledged that while the results are initially frustrating, he is able to find perspective by Monday or Tuesday, recognizing them as strong performances. The repeated near-misses come as the NASCAR Chase (playoff) period approaches, adding significance to his consistent but winless run.