DAYTONA BEACH — To crack Hall of Fame team owner Joe Gibbs’ star-studded lineup, Christopher Bell was willing to spend a season on the bench.
Sunday’s win on Daytona International Speedway’s tricky road course showed Bell is ready for a starting role, perhaps a starring one on arguably NASCAR’s top Cup Series team.
The newcomer to Joe Gibbs Racing outmaneuvered 26-time winner Joey Logano with a little more than a lap to go en route to Bell’s first Cup win. Though just the season’s second race, the victory felt redemptive and validating for Bell, whom Gibbs brought on during the offseason.