Christopher Bell is still unsure whether he will compete in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at the Naval Air Station North Island street circuit. The driver of the #20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing broke his left wrist in an accident at Michigan International Speedway two weeks ago; however, he managed to complete every lap at Pocono Raceway last week. But he acknowledges that the situation is very different at a physically demanding street circuit.
The problem isn't the cast, it's the limited range of motion.
Bell explains the issue not as pain tolerance, but as the limited range of motion caused by the cast. “It’s not a matter of pain threshold; it won’t change until the cast is removed,” Bell said, adding, “It’s the same situation as in Pocono; I can’t be as fast and aggressive behind the wheel as I normally am.” He also emphasized that he thought he was 100% ready before Pocono, but that race served as a warning: “I wasn’t 100%, and I realized there that I couldn’t drive the car at 100%.” He said he only felt ‘minor aches’ in Pocono, and these aches disappeared during Friday’s practice sessions.
The main concern is the sudden force on the wrist if any contact causes the steering wheel to pull hard. “The slightest mistake at the apex, scraping against the wall or wheel contact, causes the steering wheel to pull hard; these are the things we’re all worried about,” said Bell. Therefore, he and team principal Adam Stevens will be reassessing realistic targets for the weekend. Bell underscored the seriousness of the situation, saying, “It’s a very risky track and I can’t afford to back down; I’m in my third week of recovery.”.
Brent Crews is ready for the spare seat.
If Bell is unable to continue racing, the task will be taken over by Joe Gibbs Racing's young talent, Brent Crews. Crews, the 2023 Trans-Am road race champion, practiced in the Toyota Racing Development simulator last week and drove a Cup Series car for the first time in practice laps on Saturday. Bell spoke positively about Crews' performance: “He made a mistake on the last lap, but before that he completed a very respectable lap. I believe we will not experience any limitations due to the driver.” In the first practice session at the San Diego street circuit Crews also gained experience by taking to the track.
Bell is not removing his cast on the advice of his doctors; however, he stated that they would approve it if he requested it on his own initiative. He is not planning to take such a step this weekend. The most critical variable in the process, which will involve weekly check-ups, will be the extra range of motion he gains when the cast is removed. The race in San Diego will take place on Sunday.