Christopher Bell delivered a press release efficiency on Thursday evening by profitable the Chili Bowl Prelim A-Major, coming into the Championship Function alongside Kyle Larson, who additionally received his preliminary race. The victory added one other milestone in Bell’s long-running relationship with the grime occasion.
Bell has contested 13 occasions in Tulsa and has a resume that features three straight championship wins from 2017 to 2019. After stepping away for 2 seasons, Bell returned final 12 months and completed tenth within the Saturday finale. This time round, he has wasted no time reasserting himself as a drive on the grime contained in the Tulsa Expo Heart.
Bell opened his 2026 Chili Bowl marketing campaign on Monday evening with a wire-to-wire efficiency within the O’Reilly Auto Elements Race of Champions. He set the tempo in qualifying and earned the pole place for the 25-lap characteristic after drawing a zero within the invert.
From the drop of the inexperienced flag, Bell managed the race, absorbing transient stress from eventual runner-up Shane Golobic earlier than sealing his fourth Race of Champions victory. Notably, it was his first time as an owner-driver.
Bell carried over his profitable momentum to the Heats on Thursday. After taking Warmth Race 5, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver added his ninth profession Chili Bowl Nationals preliminary victory.
Bell managed to win Thursday’s Prelim A-Major race regardless of rolling off from eighth on the grid for the 30-lap characteristic. Within the preliminary a part of the race, his progress was affected by visitors. However because the race entered its latter levels and the depth ramped up, Bell adjusted his strategy.
