Christopher Bell was trying to keep an open mind.
The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota wasn’t sure he liked the high-downforce, restrictor plate competition package in place for Saturday’s Pocono Green 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway (1 p.m. ET Saturday on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Then found a perspective that gave him cause for optimism.
“I’ll be honest,” Bell said. “I wasn’t super excited about the package change whenever I first heard about it, but after watching the All-Star Race and doing some studying at the Indianapolis Xfinity Series race last year, and all of Toyota’s simulations, I expect to be similar to how the (NASCAR Camping World) Trucks race here.
“The trucks have a bunch of drag and downforce. They can draft really good down the straightaways, but yet you still have separation. I’m expecting the Xfinity race to be something similar to what the Trucks normally do around here, and if so, hopefully that plays into my hands.”
It’s not surprising Bell would feel that way—he took the checkered flag in his last Truck Series start at Pocono.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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