HMS Legend Blames Himself As He Hands Joe Gibbs’ Star the ‘Most Disrespected Driver’ Tag

With the NASCAR playoffs narrowing down to just 8 drivers, the spotlight is expected to be shone on each one of them. But that isn't quite happening. The last Round of 12 race at the Charlotte Roval saw Christopher Bell drive yet another consistent race, getting P2 after a neck-and-neck race between himself and Kyle Larson for the top spot. The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 is 2nd in the overall standings as well but does not seem to be getting the praise he deserves.

One possible reason could be the controversies surrounding Joe Gibbs Racing. It was recently revealed that one of their former employees sold critical team data to a rival team. Additionally, the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11, Denny Hamlin, is filing a lawsuit against NASCAR along with 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan. Even though off-track drama tends to shape media narratives, should Christopher Bell get some recognition for his consistent performances?

Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 is the go-to bet for South Point 400 Christopher Bell has had an incredible season so far and will hope to top it off with that elusive championship. The 29-year-old has notched up four wins and twenty top-10 finishes this season and sits right behind Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 Kyle Larson in 2nd place. With the Las Vegas Race approaching this weekend, the bookies have released their lines, and it appears that Christopher Bell is not receiving enough credit.

Former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte took to his podcast, Dirty Mo Dough, with feelings of guilt towards Christopher Bell's public perception. "Most disrespected driver in NASCAR, I think, by the media, I blame myself and the books. No one ever wants to talk about Christopher Bell and yet you know, he wins, he runs great, he's up front... Even the books may be a little disrespectful, but some of that sharp money came in right away and said, 'We're going to get on this Bell action right away'", said Letarte.

Letarte believes that Christopher Bell's current odds of +800 for the Las Vegas Speedway race are a steal, given the circumstances. Bell had an incredible race at South Point 400 last year, finishing 2nd just behind Kyle Larson who once again stands in his way. Larson has +300 odds for Vegas and understandably so. The No.5 has back-to-back wins in Vegas and has his eyes firmly set on a three-peat.

Earlier this year, unfortunately, Bell did not have his best time out at Vegas, finishing in 33rd during the race in March. He did win stage points in stage 2, but overall, it was a disappointing race for the Joe Gibbs No. 20. However, the playoffs invite a different kind of pressure and Christopher Bell seems to thrive in it.

Christopher Bell leads power rankings heading into Vegas The No. 20 of Joe Gibbs has been a hallmark of consistency this season, and it's no surprise NBC has him right atop the power rankings. Bell has finished seventh or better in seven of the last eight races and has an average finish of 8.5 in the last 10 races. This level of performance deep into the playoffs is quite remarkable for the 29-year-old.

A little throwback to last year's playoffs seems appropriate as Bell was 0.082 seconds shy of victory at the South Point 400. Thus, he was visibly distraught. "I really feel like that was our chance," Bell said in 2023 after Las Vegas. "That was our chance to make Phoenix this year, and it slipped away from us. So I don't know. We've still got two more races to get ourselves in position. So I feel good about that. But to be that close really stinks."

Larson and Bell might have battled it out at Vegas last year, but neither of them went home with the Cup series championship as Team Penske's Ryan Blaney edged them out. Blaney is in contention this year too, but accidents in Talladega and Glen Watkins have derailed his season. Larson and Blaney both have championship-winning experience and Bell would be determined to add his name to that list by becoming the 37th different driver to win the Cup series. Do you think Christopher Bell will get his maiden championship this year?