Bell finds positives in finishing second | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Christopher Bell is treating his “second-best” pattern as an early indicator that the reworked Chase format is fitting him. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has finished runner-up in four of the past five NASCAR Cup Series races and called the outcomes a “kick to the gut,” yet he argues that momentum has bigger value under the season’s new system. With the Chase back, points are tied more directly to consistency through solid finishes rather than win-or-go-home dynamics. Heading into Saturday night’s 400-lap race at Richmond, Bell sits sixth in points with seven second places, matching Harry Gant’s 1981 mark for most runner-ups without a win. He also faces setbacks from losing pit selection and the ejection of crew chief Chris Sherwood after pre-race inspection failures.