Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Monday that Christopher Bell would drive the No. 20 Toyota car next year. This does not come as a surprise leading to this announcement. Last Tuesday, Leavine Family Racing announced that they would be ceasing operations at the end of the 2020 season. Leavine Family Racing has a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. Last Thursday, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Erik Jones would not be returning to the No. 20 Toyota next year, leaving the door open for Bell.
In a press release, Joe Gibbs said, “We are excited to bring Christopher into our Cup Series program starting in 2021. He obviously had tremendous success in the Xfinity Series with us, and we look forward to his return to JGR.”
Christopher Bell raced for Joe Gibbs in the Xfinity Series from 2017 to 2019, winning 16 races, 41 top-five finishes, 46 top-ten finishes, and 12 poles. Before that, he was with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as he won seven races, 26 top-five finishes, 41 top ten finishes, six poles, and won the 2017 Championship.
After the 2019 season, Bell moved up to the Cup Series with Leavine Family Racing. This year, he has one top-five finish, and five top-ten finishes and currently ranks nineteenth in the point standings. He becomes the fifth driver to race the No. 20 car following Tony Stewart, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, and Erik Jones.
Bell made the transition to stock car racing after spending time in the sprint-car ranks, and he still competes there part-time. Bell has won numerous dirt races in his career, including the Chili Bowl three-times, Eldora Mudsummer Classic in 2015, Turkey Night Grand Prix in 2014, 2017-18, 2013 USAC National Midget Series championship and five career main-event wins in the World of Outlaws sprint-car circuit.
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