‘Heartbreak central’: Bell hopes 1st LVMS win propels him to NASCAR Cup title

‘Heartbreak central’: Bell hopes 1st LVMS win propels him to NASCAR Cup title Christopher Bell is chasing his first NASCAR Cup Series crown after seven seasons without a title. To stay alive in the championship hunt he needs a strong performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a track where he has consistently run well but never won. “Oh my goodness, Vegas has been heartbreak cardinal for me throughout my full career between the Truck Series, the O’Reilly Series and the Cup Series,” Bell said. “I think I’ve most apt led more laps at Vegas than any other track that I haven’t won at.” Bell added, “We know we’re going to be good there and it’s going to be a different big opportunity (to win and get a lot of points). So, we got to get some points, that’s going to be the name of the game right now.” The South Point 400, the fifth race in the NASCAR Chase, takes place Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Practice and qualifying for the Cup Series begin Saturday at 1:30 p.m., with the green flag scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday on the 1½‑mile D‑shaped oval. Bell enters the playoffs third in the standings, 50 points behind leader Kyle Larson. He arrives in Las Vegas after a sixth‑place finish at Kansas, another 1½‑mile venue. Las Vegas is the second of three consecutive 1½‑mile tracks in the Chase, with Charlotte following next week. Driving the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Bell said the stretch of similar layouts will be pivotal in deciding the champion. “These 3 races are going to be big opportunities for us and they’re a bit for our effort and my team,” he said. “We need to capitalize on that. Whenever we get down the (Chase) like at Talladega or Martinsville, those are places I don’t feel as assured at. These next 3 and Phoenix (after), we need to make some hay and get some points.” Bell, 31, of Norman, Oklahoma, has recorded five top‑five finishes in his last seven starts at LVMS. He has claimed three poles at the circuit and led 279 laps in Cup Series competition, yet remains winless in NASCAR’s three top national series at the track. “Vegas is just a really, truly fast track. At Vegas, you just haul the mail around that racetrack, so it’s fun. Everyone loves going out to Vegas, but the track itself is so much fun because it’s fun and it’s a good one (for us),” Bell remarked. Bell’s Chase opener came with a victory at the Southern 500 in Darlington on Sept. 6, breaking a string of six runner‑up finishes in the regular season. “It was amazing,” he said. “The Southern 500 is simply a truly large event. It’s been a large year for us and yet we got the win. Thinking of the crown jewel races, we won Darlington, ran 2nd at Charlotte and almost won the (Coca‑Cola 600), ran 2nd in Indianapolis (Brickyard 400).” He added, “It’s been a truly good showing for us this year and hopefully we can finish the year on a high note.” The 2024 season marks the return of the 10‑race Chase format for the NASCAR playoffs, eliminating the previous three‑round, elimination‑based