Christopher Bell, renowned as the ‘Dirt Maestro,’ lamented the two-year ban imposed on him from dirt racing by Joe Gibbs. As a native of Norman, Oklahoma, Bell’s journey to the NASCAR Cup Series was paved with victories in micro sprints and prestigious championships, including multiple Chili Bowl Nationals. As NASCAR previously experimented with dirt races, Bell recently voiced his opinion on the current state of dirt racing in the Cup Series.
In 2021, the NASCAR Cup Series reintroduced dirt racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, an event scheduled to last until 2023. However, the 2024 schedule lacks any dirt events, stirring speculation among fans and drivers about the future of dirt racing in NASCAR. Will the sport return to its rugged roots or will dirt racing merely remain a fond memory?
The legacy of NASCAR is steeped in the dusty tracks of dirt racing. In fact, in 1949, the inaugural NASCAR season was launched on seven dirt tracks out of eight. Notable racers, including Richard Petty, earned their first victories on these tracks. The recent return to dirt racing at Bristol Motor Speedway from 2021 to 2023 was a nostalgic nod to this past. Yet, converting Bristol into a dirt track presented a unique set of challenges.
Bristol Motor Speedway, famously known as the “Last Great Colosseum,” had previously hosted dirt racing events like the World of Outlaws in 2001. However, the scale and logistics of a NASCAR Cup Series event differed greatly. Despite high expectations, drivers like Christopher Bell faced significant obstacles, including poor visibility due to dust and inconsistent track conditions.
In a recent conversation with Rubbin is Racin, Bell shared his views on how NASCAR could incorporate more dirt tracks into the schedule. He commented, “I don’t know. It seems like you need more of it for the teams to take it seriously, like road course racing.”
Bell drew parallels to road course racing, which has evolved into one of NASCAR’s most thrilling track types. He cited examples such as Shane Van Gisbergen’s unexpected victory in 2023 at the Chicago Street Race and his own win over Kyle Busch at COTA two weeks ago. However, Bell noted that it took time and commitment for road course racing to gain the respect it currently enjoys.
Reflecting on the evolution of road course racing, Bell said, “Road course racing went down that same path where people didn’t take it seriously. If you didn’t have a road course driver, then it was like another off week, and you’re just like, ‘All right, well, we’re going to go take our 20th-place finish and focus on the week after.” Over time, as more races were added to the schedule, drivers had to master the art of road racing. Bell believes the same approach should be applied to dirt racing.
According to Bell, a single dirt race is insufficient to stimulate teams’ investment in the discipline. NASCAR should either increase the number of dirt races to encourage adaptation or abandon the idea altogether. Bell also suggested potential venues for dirt races, including Eldora Speedway, Knoxville Raceway, and tracks in Pennsylvania and California.
Eldora Speedway, a half-mile dirt oval in Rossburg, Ohio, owned by 3x Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart, hosts some of the biggest dirt racing events. Despite this, due to Stewart’s strained relationship with NASCAR, it seems unlikely that Eldora would host a Cup race.
Knoxville Raceway, renowned as the sprint car capital of the world, hosts the prestigious Knoxville Nationals annually. Bell’s rival, Kyle Larson, is a three-time Knoxville National champion. If Knoxville were to host a Cup Series race, it would undoubtedly result in an intense competition between the two.
As for now, the future of dirt racing in NASCAR remains in limbo. Despite the initial hiccups with the Bristol Dirt experiment, it showed that with the right conditions, dirt races could be highly entertaining. Bell, with his enthusiasm for dirt racing, could be the catalyst for NASCAR to reconsider its approach to including dirt events in the schedule. With Bell leading the charge, will NASCAR be able to harness the unpredictable nature of dirt racing and reintegrate it into the sport? Time will tell.
