Whenever you are racing for a team like Joe Gibbs Racing, the expectations heading into a NASCAR season are always going to be high, and that was no different for Christopher Bell in 2025.
The Oklahoma native's 2024 campaign had ended at the Round of 8 stage in the playoffs, with a victory having eluded him in the postseason, but with eight top-five finishes in the final 13 races of the season, momentum certainly looked to be behind him.
That said, Bell was a legitimate title contender heading into 2025, with opening odds for the year having had him as second favorite for the championship behind only Kyle Larson.
Christopher Bell: 2025 season in review
Whilst it's not totally a black and white verdict, given Bell ended 2024 as the second favorite for the 2025 title, you'd have to say he didn't quite reach the heights that some expected of him this season. That's despite starting the campaign in blazing form, winning three consecutive races at Atlanta, COTA and Phoenix in the opening four races of the season.
Unfortunately, though, as impressive as that run was, Bell would then go six months without adding to his victory tally (excluding his exhibition win at the All-Star race) before earning a much-needed win at the Bristol night race in October.
That was to be Bell's last win of the season, however, and just as he did in 2024, the Joe Gibbs Racing star failed to make the Championship 4 at Phoenix, having been eliminated at the Round of 8 stage once again.
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Races | 36 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Top 5s | 13 |
| Top 10s | 22 |
| Pole Positions | 1 |
| Laps Led | 282 |
| Average Starting Position | 12.9 |
| Average Finish | 11.2 |
| Points (Stage) | 2,403 (212) |
| Final Points Rank | 5 |
| Playoff Result | Round of 8 |
Ultimately, the current Cup Series championship format rewards victories more than consistency, and unfortunately for Bell, as much as he had the latter, he couldn't conjure up the wins when he really needed them, meaning he was unable to fulfil his pre-season expectations of true title contender.
Nevertheless, whilst elimination at Martinsville was a disappointment, across the whole season, Bell once again proved himself as one of the sport's very best drivers, as the statistics above demonstrate.
The Joe Gibbs Racing star's four victories ranked third in the Cup Series this past season, behind only Denny Hamlin and Shane van Gisbergen, whilst he ranked first for top 10s and had the highest average finish of any full-time driver.
All of that means Bell remains one of the favorites (joint-third with Chase Briscoe and William Byron) for the title heading into next season, even if he isn't quite carrying the same momentum as he was this time last year.
